Nightfall
by sistersgrimmlover
Summary: Previously, his life had been boring. Blood. Kill. Sex. Make Stefan's life miserable. Shuffle. Repeat. And for the first time in a long time…Damon was intrigued. And it was all due to one little boy with pretty green eyes.
1. Part I

**Title: **Nightfall

**Pairing: **HP/DS, EG/SS

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight nor do I own Harry Potter.

**Note: **This came to me after I was watching Vampire Diaries for the umpteenth time. While I was doing that, I was on deviantart and I came across a picture that intrigued me to the point that I just had to get _something _out.

Anyway, this starts at Season 1 Episode 3 because I need canon to be shot to hell as soon as possible. Well…sort of shot to hell. Anyway, we'll just be getting on with the story.

Nightfall

By: Sistersgrimmlover

**Part I:**

"_I'm gonna marry the night_

_I'm not gonna cry anymore_

_I'm gonna marry the night_

_Leave nothing on these streets to explore."_

_-Marry the Night, Lady Gaga_

_Dear Journal (Because you are certainly not a diary),_

_Today is the start._

_The start of my brand new life. It has to be a brand new life. I don't want it anymore. I don't want the life of the Boy-Who-Lived. I don't want to be the sad little boy who lost his parents._

_That's not me._

_I don't want it to be me. That's not my life anymore and I'm okay with that._

_I'll have a normal life._

_Everything that I've ever wanted._

_Right._

_Here._

_In Mystic Falls_

Harry Potter, now Harry Noir looked up, slowly as there was a knock on his open door. He flipped his journal shut, quickly and shoved it into his satchel. Hermione stood in the doorway with a sad smile gracing her pretty face. Her large bushy hair was still large and bushy as ever and Harry found some comfort in it. She was already wearing a white shirt, powder blue hoodie, and dark blue jeans.

"Time for school," Hermione murmured and Harry bounced off the bed and he looked around his messy room.

His trunk was still open at the end of his bed and clothes were strewn inside, unfolded and messy. Ink had splattered on his only baggy white shirt and his baggy jeans were too big to wear. He sighed and ran a hand through messy inky black hair.

"I have nothing to wear," Harry groaned and Hermione smiled.

"Nothing inconspicuous to wear, you mean. Oh, Harry…" Hermione sighed and she walked past him and towards his trunk and messy closet.

"What?" demanded Harry as she pulled out nondescript black clothes from a few bags.

Hermione had bought them for him when they had landed in Washington DC. They had been intended to be school clothes but Harry had just wanted to blend in and wearing big, baggy clothing had seemed the best way. Hermione obviously disagreed. She tossed them to him and Harry caught it, his Seeker skills kicking in.

"You dressed in big clothing will only draw attention to you. It's a small town," Hermione said and she shook her head before walking out the door and down the stairs.

Hermione worried about her 'brother' and knew that escaping to the small Muggle town of Mystic Falls was for the best, in all honesty. She knew that after defeating Voldemort at the age of 16, life would be hard. However, she had not expected the press and even people that they called friends to become absolutely _unbearable_.

Ron's help in the defeat of Voldemort was publicized everywhere he went and basked in the glory and fame. Hermione had watched, helplessly, as she watched her childhood crush rise and her best friend and almost brother wither. She had finally decided to stage an intervention and had whisked him away without a word from her parents and everyone else. With Dumbledore dead, she knew that people would be hard pressed to find them.

She still got Daily Prophets and they still thought that Harry was in London. The questioning of her disappearance was less but that was because the public simply saw her as an accessory to Harry during his adventures. Hermione shook her head and walked down the wooden stairs of their nice suburban house.

Harry had insisted on buying the house and the mortgage had been paid on the spot. It was their house and Hermione couldn't help but smile at that.

She went to fix up a quick breakfast for the two and was just placing the bacon and eggs on plates when Harry came downstairs after taking his shower and dressing. Hermione looked up and blinked as she looked at smaller and petite young man.

The seventeen-year-old looked beautiful in his dark clothing. A dark v-neck clung to his lithe and muscular torso and he wore black jeans that hung to his thin hips. Bright green eyes were slightly obscured by rectangular frames. He had his black bag slung over his shoulder and he looked tired. His dark hair covered his forehead and hung past his ears and just reached his chin. Harry smiled at Hermione, softly.

"Thanks for breakfast, Mione," he said and he swooped down to place a kiss to her cheek and Hermione couldn't help but smile back at her little brother.

"Eat up, now. It's the first day of school," Hermione grinned.

Her grin was infectious and he smiled back at her and dug in to breakfast with zeal. Hermione shook her head and ate as well. They were finished and ready to leave by fifteen minutes to eight and that was when classes started, according to Hermione's school handbook. She had gone about herself to get their schedules and such before their first day of school.

Harry stood just as Hermione did.

"You sit, Mione. I'll do dishes. We'll be out in five," Harry said and Hermione smiled at him before nodding and she watched him as he washed the dishes.

Just as promised, he was finished in five minutes and he slung on his dark French combat jacket and he tucked his feet into black combat boots. He stood up straight and sent Hermione a hopeful smile that she returned.

Harry grabbed the keys from the kitchen island and the walked outside to Harry's purchased, black, and beautiful 1967 Chevrolet Impala. He slid in and Hermione walked out after him. Harry couldn't help but feel excited to start what was going to be his normal life. He hoped that he could finally date someone…a boy, perhaps, that would like him for him instead of his fame or money.

"Lets go face the world," Harry grinned.

Hermione smiled back.

"Lets."

0o0

"Morning, Elena."

The pretty olive-skinned brunette smiled at the tall and brooding figure that made her kind-of, sorta boyfriend. She stared up at him with almond-shaped eyes, adoringly and he smiled down at her.

"Morning, Bonnie," Stefan continued as he turned his gaze onto Bonnie, respectfully.

Elena looked over at her best friend and Bonnie frowned and gave her a beseeching look. As quick as the two expressions came onto her face, they changed and Bonnie gave a strained smile.

"Hey, um, I gotta find Caroline. She's not answering her phone, so…see you guys," Bonnie said before walking quickly across the grassy grounds and Elena reached out for her best friend, pleadingly.

"Bonnie, wait…"

The African-American girl didn't stop in her flee and Elena sighed before running a hand through her hair, resignedly. Stefan pressed his lips together and gave her a look.

"She doesn't like me, does she?" the Salvatore brother asked and Elena shook her head, assuredly though she wasn't too sure of the answer herself.

"She doesn't know you," Elena started and looked up at the sky before continuing, "She's my best friend and she's just looking out for me but when she _does_…she will _love _you."

Stefan smiled at her when he suddenly stopped and Elena looked in his direction just as a vintage-looking and rather beautiful black car drove into the parking lot at breakneck speed. Most of the students were watching while some of the jocks, namely Matt and Tyler were practically salivating. The football rested into Matt's hands.

"I've never seen that car…" Elena said, softly as the car sped into a parking space without even bothering to take proper precaution and a small and rather beautiful boy slipped out from the driver's seat.

From the passenger seat, a girl with big bushy hair but a pretty face slipped from her side and she looked windswept and rather annoyed. She snapped something at the boy and he burst into laughter as the two walked, side-by-side past the staring students and straight into the building.

"Harry James Noir, you'd better stop laughing and listen to me! Breaking speed limits is against the law as you _know_," she nagged, a distinctive accent in place and the boy, Harry, only laughed again, his green eyes making him even more striking.

"We're in some backwater town. This isn't London," Harry smiled and he walked, briskly down the pavement and he walked straight up to Elena and Stefan, it seemed.

His smile slipped when they simply stared at him and the girl raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me. You're standing in the middle of the pavement."

Elena flushed in embarrassment and she moved to the side before she raised a hand for them to both shake.

"I'm Elena Gilbert. Welcome to Mystic Falls," Elena breathed as she looked him up and down and she glanced at Stefan.

He was looking at the two, suspiciously and the girl raised an eyebrow before shaking her head and looking at Elena.

"Pleasure," Harry said and he looked away, slightly disinterested but at the same time, on edge just as Stefan was and Elena found it rather strange.

Did they know each other?

"Hello, I'm Hermione Noir. I'm a senior here. This is my little brother, Harry Noir," the girl said and she took Elena's hand and gave it a firm shake before pulling away.

Elena couldn't help but noticed that the two looked nothing alike. The girl, Hermione, seemed a bit lighter than Harry. She was pretty but Harry…Harry had a dark beauty that was almost terrifying and definitely ruining her self-esteem a bit.

"You're freshmen here, Harry?" Elena asked, kindly.

Harry snorted and Hermione gave a dry smile.

"Harry's a junior. He's just small."

Elena flushed in embarrassment again.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Stefan and I are juniors too," Elena said and Stefan stiffened at the mention of his name and he nodded at both of the new students.

"I'm sorry. I was in deep thought for a moment. Hello, my name is Stefan Salvatore," the handsome boy said and Harry looked him up and down, appreciatively before looking over at Hermione and whispering something to her.

The bushy-haired girl burst into laughter and she shook her head.

"Oh, Harry…we really must be going. We have to find our lockers," Hermione said, smiling apologetically before the two made their way down the pathway.

Elena looked after them.

"They're from London…they have British accents…I didn't know we were having new students," Elena murmured to herself and Stefan looked down at her in annoyance at being ignored.

"Elena…" he said, bringing her back to real the world and she jumped.

"Oh, right. This is what we're going to do…are you free tonight?" Elena asked though she still sounded rather distracted and Stefan stepped in front of her with a pleasant on his face that left Elena slightly dazed.

"Yes."

"Perfect. Dinner. My House. Eight o' clock. You, me, and Bonnie. You two will spend quality time and she'll what a great guy you are. Mission accomplished," Elena beamed and Stefan gave her a hopeful smile.

Suddenly, a football came flying towards them and though Stefan leaned up to catch it, it overshot him and flew over his head. Stefan and Elena turned to see it speeding towards an unsuspecting Harry Noir.

"Harry!" Elena called in warning.

She watched Harry spin around just in time for…him to catch it, literally an inch from his face and he lowered the ball, slowly. His eyes were blazing and he looked rather annoyed at this point. Hermione paled.

"Harry…Harry, don't," Elena just heard Hermione say but suddenly the football was spinning through the air in a whistling spiral and Stefan caught it easily this time.

Stefan winced and he looked over at Harry in surprise just as the spun on his heel and stormed into the building. Elena looked over at Stefan, surprised that he had caught the far pass just as Stefan threw it back to Tyler.

There was some things that Elena now _knew _that she had to learn about Stefan and the fact that he could throw and catch a football was one of the things that she was glad that she had learned.

0o0

"Pearl Harbor?"

The irritating Mr. Tanner was looking over the classroom with a hint of arrogance on his face and Harry instantly didn't like the teacher. He reminded him too much of his old Potions professor, Severus Snape and his growing hatred for the History teacher only intensified as he thought of the double agent.

Harry slumped in his chair even further, not even thinking about the question. He knew that answer, he could thank _Hermione _for that, but couldn't care to deal with History. He'd never been particularly good at it anyway, even at Hogwarts.

"Miss Gilbert?"

Harry knew that Elena had been talking and it seemed that Mr. Tanner had known too. But to Harry, it seemed that Mr. Tanner only wanted to humiliate her and that didn't sit right with Harry.

"Um…"

"December 7th, 1941," Harry said, flatly and most of the students turned to look at him.

Mr. Tanner looked sharply at the boy.

"Freshmen in Junior History?" Mr. Tanner challenged and Harry straightened in his seat and flashed him a sneer, patented by the Malfoy family.

"I'm seventeen. Excuse me for poor genetics," Harry drawled.

Mr. Tanner glared back at him in anger and annoyance.

"Very well. The fall of the Berlin Wall?" Mr. Tanner fired off at him.

Harry frowned as he tried to remember the date.

"19—" Stefan started.

"Chill out, Salvatore. I got this. 1989. That was the year of the Hillsborough disaster. I'm good with dates," Harry smirked though this wasn't necessarily true.

He just wanted to get a rise out of this arrogant, self-absorbed prat.

"Are you? How good? Keep it to the year. Civil Rights Act?"

"Do I sound American to you? I'm British," Harry said, his tone flat and there were giggles around him and Mr. Tanner glared at him in annoyance.

"Fine," he spat, "World War 1?"

"1914 to 1918."

"Korean War?"

"1959-1953."

"Napoleonic Wars?"

"1803-1815."

"Nanking Massacre?"

"1939."

"World War 2?"

"1939-1949."

"Ha! It started in '41," Mr. Tanner said, excitedly and Harry only looked at him, unimpressed.

"You sound _way _too excited. Are you that desperate to prove that I'm wrong? Listen. _Your _wanker country joined in '41. The British Empire started it September 1, 1939," Harry said, calmly and he glared at the table before turning glowing green eyes onto Mr. Tanner who looked shell shocked.

"I actually find it ironic that you asked me about wars and war crimes. Maybe you should've asked something a bit different…I know my fair share of war and terrorists because that's what I'd consider some of the partakers in those wards. I've made it my business to know when they happened," Harry said, mysteriously and stared out the window while Elena grinned at him, looking rather appreciative.

Stefan only looked contemplative as the rest of the class applauded.

0o0

The bell rang and Harry stood, eager to escape the stifling classroom and the watchful eyes of Elena and Mr. Tanner. He darted from the classroom, glad for the first time in his life that he was small. However, Elena quickly caught up and she stood on one side of him while Stefan stood next to her.

"How did you know all that stuff?"

"It was part of my…studies, back in England. I lost my parents and my godfather to a group of terrorists who were secretly trying to instigate war. I made it my business to know," Harry said, not intent on hiding anything since they were just Muggles anyway.

They wouldn't be able to make anything out of that. He looked over at Elena and was surprised to not see any pity. She looked like she was looking at a soul sister actually and it kind of creeped Harry out. She grabbed onto his arm and Harry looked at her in shock at his forwardness.

"I'm sorry. I lost my parents to a car accident four months ago. I'm the soul survivor," Elena said, softly.

"So am I. Their murderer tried to kill me. He didn't succeed. The authorities stopped him in time," Harry said, softly and Elena smiled and she clung to him.

Harry internally groaned.

It seemed like he had accidentally made a new best friend.

0o0

Harry cringed at the shrill sound of a whistle down on the football field. It was such a nice day outside and Elena had insisted that he wait for her until she finished cheerleading practice so that she could introduce him to her best friend, Bonnie. Hermione had encouraged him to make friends despite his protesting but in the end, he had yielded and now he was sitting on the bottom bleacher, watching the cheerleaders practice as the jocks ran up and down the field in football gear.

Harry didn't quite understand why their football was different from UK football. Apparently, football in the UK was called soccer here or so Elena said and now he had to get used to fact.

To him, their 'football' just looked like a sissy version of rugby.

"Nice job, nice job!" crowed a kid that Elena had deemed Matt Damon.

He was kind of cute, in that small town boy way but Harry couldn't see himself with him. He just wasn't…enough.

He was too boy-ish and not enough man for Harry.

"Mr. Lockwood! Is there anything you're good at? Because it isn't history, and it sure as hell isn't defending the ball!" Mr. Tanner roared like the great big git that he was and Harry wondered if every school had their own Greasy Git.

He felt a little bad for 'Mr. Lockwood'.

"Yes, Coach," Lockwood said.

Harry recognized him as the boy who had chucked a damn pigskin at his head.

Now, he suddenly didn't feel bad for him.

"Now! DO IT AGAIN!"

Lockwood jogged away and Harry looked up into the bleachers to see Stefan sitting there as fiddled with the lapis lazuli ring around his finger. Harry had noticed it when he first met him and he felt a little…wary for some strange reason. He shook his head and looked over at the cheerleaders.

"You're here," squealed a particular cheerleader with cocoa skin and two braided pigtails, one of either side of her head.

She hugged Elena, excitedly with a smile.

"Yup! I can't be sad girl forever," Elena said and she took a deep breath and gave her little-engine-that-could face that only made Harry snort, rather cynically at that.

"The only way to get things back to the way they were are to do things that were. Oh, and you're coming to dinner tonight," Elena said as the two began to stretch and Harry raised an eyebrow.

Were all American so commanding or was it just the next generation?

"I am?"

"You, me, and Stefan," Elena said just as the girl grimaced. "You have to give him a chance."

Harry briefly considered what other guys, like Ron, would give to see a bunch of pretty girls stretching in short shorts and tank tops. Luckily, he wasn't one of those guys and somehow, unconsciously, Elena had picked up on that fact.

"Tonight's no good. Have you seen Caroline? I've texted her like a hundred times," the African-American girl said, using 'Caroline' as a poor excuse and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Don't change the subject, Bonnie Bennett. You're going to be there."

So even the girl, who was thick enough to believe that they were 'BFFs' because of the death of their parents, saw through it.

"Fine!" Bonnie said though she couldn't seem to quite hide tiny smile while Elena shot her a triumphant smile and she looked up into the stand to smile at Harry.

"But, seriously, where is Caroline?" Bonnie asked and Harry wondered if Caroline was one of those over preppy girls that was always on time and wearing cute little dresses and such.

"I don't know. It's not like her. Try her again," Elena said as she took a sip of water.

Harry moved closer just as beautiful convertible car drove up with a beautiful guy and an…adequate blonde girl inside. Harry deduced that she was Caroline and he couldn't help but be drawn to the man in the car. He moved closer until he was only a couple feet away from the car but a ways from Elena and Bonnie.

The two began to kiss and Harry's eyes narrowed.

"That must be the mystery guy from the Grill," Bonnie said and Elena shook her head, disproving Bonnie's idea.

"That's not a mystery guy. That's Damon Salvatore," Elena said as Caroline pulled away from Damon and flounced out of the car in slutty shorts and a too tight t-shirt and Harry leaned forward.

"Salvatore," Harry said, his tongue wrapping around the word and caressing it, softly.

Damon looked up as if he had heard him and his eyes fell on him. Damon pressed his glasses down and observed Harry. Harry smirked at him and Damon gave him a smile that Harry could only describe as sexy and sly.

Elena and Bonnie seemed to have noticed but their vision was blocked as Caroline flounced up to them, looking rather smug.

"I got the other brother. Hope you don't mind."

"Not for long, honey," Harry muttered and he cocked an inviting eyebrow at Damon and Damon only smirked at him before backing up and driving away.

Harry grinned.

The trap was set.

0o0

Feeding off Caroline Forbes had been so incredibly easy. She had been incredibly easy with her insecurities and petty jealousy over Elena over someone like his brooding, human wannabe brother. Stefan wasn't even worth it.

And he had gone to the school, intent on trapping the girl that looked so very much like his trapped love. He had seen her first and she was truly beautiful and looked just like Katharine, almost to the point where it would've hurt if he had a shred of humanity left. It was pitiful that he didn't.

Not.

But, then…he had caught the scent on the slight wind and he had heard the soft, icy, and dark voice that went straight to his nether regions.

Damon was never picky about gender but the boy he had seen with emerald green eyes was striking and his blood had been so tempting and Damon couldn't wait to the drain the lithe boy. It would be his pleasure to do so.

He had heard Caroline bragging about him and the boy's response.

Previously, his life had been boring.

Blood.

Kill.

Sex.

Make Stefan's life miserable.

Shuffle.

Repeat.

And for the first time in a long time…Damon was intrigued.

:::

**A/N: **Hi all! I started a new story! I know I really shouldn't have but I can't stop. This just came to me while I was watching Vampire Diaries. I'm freaking addicted and it's killing me because previously I thought it was an awful show. Now I love it!


	2. Part II

**Title: **Nightfall

**Pairing: **HP/DS, EG/SS, others from canons

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Vampire Diaries nor do I own Harry Potter.

**Note: **This came to me after I was watching Vampire Diaries for the umpteenth time. While I was doing that, I was on deviantart and I came across a picture that intrigued me to the point that I just had to get _something _out.

Anyway, this starts at Season 1 Episode 3 because I need canon to be shot to hell as soon as possible. Well…sort of shot to hell. Anyway, we'll just be getting on with the story.

Nightfall

By: Sistersgrimmlover

**Part II:**

"_I'm gonna marry the dark_

_Gonna make love to the stark_

_I'm a soldier to my own emptiness_

_I am a winner"_

_-Marry the Night, Lady Gaga_

"So, you're the new British kid that put Mr. Tanner in his place."

Harry felt like he was being analyzed under a microscope. Bonnie was looking him up and down and she licked her teeth, salaciously. Elena couldn't help but give a smile at the look on his face. Harry scowled at her but nodded.

"I am. That wanker needed to be put in his place."

"Wanker?"

"British term. It's a person who masturbates. Now, it was a _pleasure _to meet you Miss Bennett but I surely should be going. It seems Elena's Mr. Tall, Heroic, and Handsome is heading over and he's not the brother I'm interested in," Harry said, dismissively and Bonnie's eyes widened in other standing before she shot a look at Caroline.

But the blonde was too busy speaking, quickly with a few of the other cheerleaders. Harry rolled his eyes at her.

She was too damn…perky.

It was almost unnatural.

"You mean Stefan?" asked Bonnie and Harry shot her a look that seemed to be calling her stupid and she flushed at her question and his dismissive look.

"Yes, I mean Stefan," he said, his tone patient.

"I don't like him very much either. I get a bad feeling around him," Bonnie blurted out and she looked over at Elena, embarrassed by her outburst.

Elena was frowning over at her best friend.

"You don't know—"

"In all honesty, Hermione and I are a little wary of him as well."

Elena flushed and she couldn't help but look down at her feet. Her kinda sort of boyfriend was even bad news to a kid who had known him for all of six hours. It was kind of necessary to check him out now, wasn't it?

"See! Even…Harry sees it. Elena, girl, I love you but I'm just not very comfortable with the idea of having just you, Stefan, and me there," Bonnie said, apologetically and Harry gave a long suffering sigh that made the two taller girls look over at me.

He was about to do a good deed here.

Damn his hero complex.

"Look, if you don't mind, I could come too. I know it's awfully pretentious of me, inviting myself to your house, Elena. But you're my only friend here at Mystic Falls and seeing how it's a Friday night, I'd feel like a total loser staying home alone tonight," Harry said, laying it on thick and looking up at her through thick eyelashes and his green eyes seemed to glow behind the glasses.

Elena melted as the angel gave her a begging look and she couldn't help but nod in agreement. Harry's lips curled into a smile and he saluted her. Bonnie looked almost relieved though her eyes were narrowed in slight suspicion.

"You're definitely invited."

"Harry!"

Harry spun to watch as Hermione came across the field with a smile on her face. Harry relaxed instantly as she got nearer and he leaned against the bleachers. Hermione tilted her head just as came next to him.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but I'll be out tonight."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him and he gestured to Elena.

"Elena has invited me to dinner with her, Stefan, and Bonnie. Is that okay?" Harry asked despite the fact that he knew he didn't need to ask.

"Shouldn't you ask your guardians?" Bonnie asked, curiously.

"My parents are dead. Murdered when I was one years old," Harry said and then he gestured to Hermione, "Hermione's my only guardian. She's eighteen. I was with…relatives until she legally adopted me. She's…not really my sister. I'm sure you could tell but you can never be too sure."

Bonnie looked guilty all of a sudden and Harry rolled his eyes.

"I'm sor—"

"Please don't finish that sentence. I don't need your pity and I certainly don't want it. It has been sixteen years. So, is that okay?" Harry said, again looking at Hermione.

"Stefan? I'm…take _it_. Do you hear me?" Hermione said and Harry knew that she was referring to the rod of wood resting in velvet lining in the safe underneath her bed.

Harry nodded in agreement.

"I promise."

"You know what to do if there's any trouble. Call me and I'll be there in a second. I'm not letting you get hurt here. Not in the States," Hermione said, firmly and Harry's lips curled into affectionate smile.

He nodded again.

"Yes, Hermione. I promise I will," Harry reiterated.

"Then, you go have fun."

Bonnie and Elena only exchanged looks of confused and suspicion.

0o0

"How were tryouts? Did you make the team?"

Stefan heard the mocking tone before he saw the source of it and his eyes narrowed on his elder brother. He could only see his brother's face and the source of his pain and frustration over all these years.

"Very Emerson," he continued, "the way your pour your soul with so many—"

Stefan ran over as he spotted his journal in his brother's hands and he snatched it away. Damon nailed with a hard look of disdain and derision before he finished his snarky comment.

"…Adjectives."

"What are you doing here?" Stefan asked, sharply and Damon let out a huff of laughter for just a moment.

"I've come to apologize."

The disbelief in Stefan ran through his whole body and in his cold, dead heart, a tiny spark of hope grew as he heard his elder brother's words. He leaned forward, unconsciously, eager to hear the words.

"I've been doing some thinking. Some soul-searching, and I want us to start over. We need to put the past behind us. You're my little brother," Damon said and he stood and walked over to Stefan and faced him with an honest and sincere face.

Stefan couldn't doubt him though he continued to keep his expression as stoic as possible.

"And if you want to live a normal, happy human life, then I want that for you. And maybe I can do it, too. That I can learn to be a living non-living person. Maybe there's hope for both of us," Damon finished and Stefan's hope was consuming now and he knew Damon could see it in his eyes.

There was a beat of silence.

Damon seemed to be struggling with someone when he suddenly snorted and roared with laughter. The light of Stefan's hope was dashed in a second and he looked at Damon with angry eyes. Damon's teeth and eyes glittered with malice. Disappointment coursed through Stefan. Damon slapped him on the shoulder and moved away as Stefan contemplated what to say.

"You know it doesn't have to be this way, Damon."

"Course it does. I saw _Elena_ today. Btw, that means by the way. She was at cheerleading practice. She looked _so _perky in her little short shorts. Simmer down, I didn't even go near her. She really is a dead ringer for Katherine," Damon said, conversationally and Stefan's eyes flashed.

"Don't go near her," he warned and Damon snorted.

"I didn't. She may look like Katherine but she doesn't have the…personality. You can have the cheap knock-off. I've got my eyes set on a much…bigger prize," Damon said and Stefan frowned as he watched Damon's eyes dilate in arousal and lust.

Stefan wondered who this girl was, that Damon wanted so much.

"Wish me luck," Damon smirked before spun on his heel and walked out of the room as if he owned the place.

Stefan only scowled.

0o0

"You explain it! Last night, I'm watching nine-o, a commercial break comes on and I'm like, I bet it's the phone commercial. And sure enough, it's that guy and girl with the bench, he flies to Paris and he flies back. They take a picture," Bonnie ranted and Harry rested at the kitchen island with an amused look on his face.

So, Bonnie was a witch. She had explained everything to him while Elena only snorted. He had gotten a feel of _something _but he hadn't looked into it as he thought that she was just a Squib of some sort. But, now he _knew _that she was a witch. Sure, her magic was doing mundane things but it just seemed that her magic had developed later. She was probably a different type of witch, if there was one.

He 'd have to ask Hermione.

Elena took the Italian food from the cartons and spilled it into nice bowls.

"Oh come on! That commercial is on a constant loop," Elena laughed and Harry shook his head.

"Bonnie…I'm not one for the telly but she's right. I've been here for…six days and I've seen that commercial hundreds of times," Harry interjected and Bonnie pouted and nodded her consent.

"Fine! But how about this? Today I'm obsessed with numbers. Three numbers. I keep seeing 8, 14, and 22. How weird is that?" Bonnie challenged and Harry smirked.

"Not weird at all. You like maths?" Harry asked and Bonnie glared at him as Elena burst into a fresh round of laughter.

"Nah. I think we should play the lottery. Have you talked to your Grams?" Elena asked, her voice still teasing in nature but the question seemed almost serious to Harry and Bonnie.

"She's just gonna say it's because I'm a witch. I don't want to be a witch. Do you want to be a witch?" Bonnie asked and neither girl noticed Harry's eyes widen in shock.

He shoved his hand deep into his pocket and felt safe as he closed his fingers over the thin rod of holly. He pulled away, reluctantly, knowing that it'd be strange for his hand to be in his pocket while he was sitting down.

"I don't want to be a witch," Elena said, dutifully.

"Putting it in a nice bowl doesn't make it home-cooked. It's still take-away," Harry pointed out dryly and Bonnie snorted in amusement.

Elena gave him playful glare.

"Ok, serving spoons. Where are the serving spoons?" Elena said as she bustled around the kitchen looking for it.

"Middle drawer on your left," Bonnie said without looking up from the food.

Elena did as she instructed and pulled out serving spoons. Harry was mildly impressed and he had a hunch that perhaps Bonnie wasn't really a witch but merely a very _strong _Seer who could use her Seer powers for a little extra to compensate for her slight lack of magic. He knew that she'd never be strong enough to need a wand, as those were for people with magic that could only be controlled by a conductor, but she was a strong Seer. Or at least, she was going to become a strong Seer.

"Ok, so you've been in this kitchen like a thousand times."

"Yeah, that's it," Bonnie said, doubtfully.

The doorbell rang, which was probably for the best at the moment and Elena straightened.

"He's here. Don't you two be nervous. Just be your normal, loving selves," Elena said, looking both of them in the eye and Harry smirked.

"Elena…you don't even know me well enough to know my 'normal, loving self'," Harry reminded her and Elena shrugged.

"Well, this is the opportune time. This will be a learning experience for us all, I believe," she said before she headed towards the door.

Bonnie and Harry waited in the kitchen in silence.

"Birthday candles?" Harry prompted and Bonnie gave a sad smile.

She opened the drawer closest to her and lifted the birthday candles for Harry to see.

0o0

Talk about awkward silence.

To Harry, it sounded like a tomb in the tense dining room. Bonnie was still distracted by her little trick that she had pulled earlier and Harry was on edge once more because of the strange enigma that was Stefan Salvatore. He was brooding and stoic but there was an underlying ferociousness that made Harry want to beat it out of him, for some strange reason.

"Did Tanner give you a hard time today?" Elena finally asked.

"Well, he let me on the team, so…I must have done something right," Stefan said and Elena's lips curled into a bright and pretty smile.

"Bonnie, you should've seen Stefan today. Tyler threw a ball that went to Harry who caught it, which was actually amazing. And then Harry threw it at Stefan—"

"Yeah, I heard. First thing I actually heard about Harry," Bonnie said.

Another awkward silence.

Maybe Harry should've just stayed home.

He could've watched the telly with Hermione or something.

"Harry, what was your life like back in England?" Elena asked and Harry was surprised that he had been asked anything at all.

"It was…trying. When I was one, a mad man came to Godric's Hollow, a village I used to live in with my parents. He killed my parents and tried to kill me but someone came before he could. He escaped. The only remnant I have of the episode is this scar," Harry said and he brushed up his bangs to show the lightening bolt permanently carved into his skin.

"I was placed with relatives. My mother's sister and her husband, actually. She looked like a horse and she was a bitch. She hated my mother. She was jealous because my mother had been accepted to one of the most prestigious and secretive boarding schools in Great Britain. I was later accepted there. That's where I met Hermione. We were in the same year," Harry said, summarizing and quickly editing.

This had been his cover story for the longest but some things he just couldn't help but add. For some reason, he had the inexplicable urge to trust Bonnie and Elena. He wondered briefly if he really should be saying these things in front of someone like Stefan but he disregarded the thought.

He'd just Obliviate them if it ended badly.

"She was whole year older than me though. My other best friend…well, he's whole other story. So, the guy who killed my parents was a bit of a terrorist and he tried to kill me again when I was fifteen. My godfather died in the process. Finally, last year the authorities officially took care of him. I was hounded by everyone and they all wanted to use me, simply because I was the only one who ever escaped him. So, Hermione adopted me and took me here. End of story," Harry said, flatly and he turned back to eat his pasta.

Stefan looked like he was deep in thought.

"Thank you for telling us, Harry. I'm glad you trust us despite the fact that we haven't known each other for a long time," Elena said, solemnly and Harry rolled his eyes.

Who did she think he was?

Some kind of kindred spirit?

"Bonnie, why don't you tell Stefan about your family?" Harry suggested, trying to take the attention of off him.

Bonnie didn't appreciate the effort.

"Divorced. No mom. Live with my dad," Bonnie said, flatly and Harry flinched at the flat tone.

"No. About the witches," Harry snapped and Bonnie rolled her eyes at him.

Harry glanced, slyly, at Stefan and the teenage boy straightened. He seemed _very _interested in what Bonnie had to say now. Bonnie didn't seem to have noticed but Elena had and the girl was hiding a triumphant smile behind her hand.

"Bonnie's family has a linear of witches. It's really cool," Elena said, further explaining what Harry was actually talking about.

"Cool isn't the word I'd use," Bonnie said, her voice strained and tired.

Elena fixed her friend with an annoyed and exasperated look and Harry was grinning into his hand. Bonnie definitely was going to be one of those unreceptive but not disbelieving types. She would have to be coaxed and Bonnie better be glad that she had Harry. Well, she didn't have him per say but Harry refused to be a loser without friends.

He'd already been drastically close to being that in England.

Harry was very aware of the fact that he had been gawky and awkward.

He was going for sexy and alluring.

Gods, he hoped it was working because he had one Salvatore he needed to catch.

"Well, it's certainly interesting. I'm not well versed," Stefan was saying, "but I do know that there's a history of Celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800s."

"My family came by way of Salem," Bonnie said, supplying useful information and essentially murdering Stefan's train of thought.

If there was any doubt before, it disappeared right then. Now, Harry didn't only suspect but _knew _Bonnie was a witch. It all fit and Hermione would be elated to find that there was an actual Salem witch at their school. He wondered if her grandmother, mother, or father was a witch too. Then, Hermione would probably have an orgasm.

"Really? Salem witches?" Stefan asked, though it wasn't much of a question as three words strung together to sound slightly disbelieving.

"Yeah…"

Stefan looked over at Elena and Harry couldn't help but notice that Stefan had not yet looked him in the eye.

"I'd say that's pretty cool," Stefan said, glancing at Elena and the pretty girl gave a bright smile in response.

Ah, young love.

Wait until it crushed her little, teenage heart.

"Really? Why?" Bonnie asked with a shrug and Harry couldn't tell if she was being malicious, mocking, or just had no family pride.

Had she really not looked up her lineage?

"Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and non-conformity."

Bonnie thought on that before her lips curled into a trusting smile.

"Yeah…they are!"

Well wasn't this Salvatore brother smart?

He knew the right words to say and the right way to say it. Bonnie looked much more comfortable but Harry was still suspicious. Something about Stefan just didn't sit right with him…

The doorbell rang, interrupting Harry's train of thought and he groaned.

"I bet that's Hermione checking up on me. She's too overprotective…I'll get it, if you wish," Harry said and he was just using the door as an excuse to leave the table.

Stefan didn't like him, obviously.

Elena liked him too much.

And now Bonnie was no longer on Team Anti-Stefan.

"It's okay…" Elena said.

"Sit, Elena. I've got it. You really don't want to deal with Hermione right now…in all honesty, I don't either…" Harry said with a sly smile on his face and Bonnie giggled at the look.

Elena shook her head with a smile.

"I'll go with you, just to make sure."

She stood anyway and the pair made their way to the door. Elena opened it and she blinked in surprise at the two standing in front of them.

Harry had a very different reaction.

"Surprise! Bonnie said you were having dinner so…"

Harry drowned out the perky blonde in favor of looking at her Tall, Dark, and Sexy companion. Harry ran a hand through his messy black hair and though he didn't know it, it made him look like he had just had the roughest and best sex of his life. Damon Salvatore stared at him as if he were a big, juicy steak.

"Oh," Elena said after the Sindy fashion doll had finished her annoying and peppy explanation.

She stepped inside though Damon lingered outside.

"Hope you don't mind," Damon said, not breaking eye contact with Harry and Harry didn't move to break his eye contact.

Harry's tongue ran over his top lip and he tilted his head as he looked Damon up and down. Suddenly, Harry was pushed behind something rather tall and obstructive. He glared at Stefan's back and he looked underneath Elena's arm. Damon looked angry for just a second before he relaxed.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan asked, his voice rough with some emotion that Harry couldn't quite decipher.

"Waiting for Elena to invite me," Damon said and he finally looked away from Harry and turned his gaze onto Stefan and then to Elena.

"Oh, yeah, you can…"

"No, no, no…he, he can't, uh, he can't stay," Stefan said, stammering over his words and Harry put a hand to his in utter annoyance.

"And why can't he, lover boy? That's real nice, the way you treat your brother," Harry snapped in annoyance and even Elena looked like she supported Harry's chastisement of Stefan.

Damon smirked.

"Yeah. Listen to the midget."

Harry scowled.

"On the other hand, he freeze his arse off out there," Harry snarled before he spun around and stormed inside, annoyed.

Elena frowned and shook his head.

"Never mind, Harry. Just come inside."

The words did wonders for Damon and he looked after the little one named Harry that he couldn't wait to have writhing underneath him, screaming his name. Damon slowly stepped over the threshold and he reveled in being inside, just inches away from Elena's calling neck. He could destroy his brother, then and there.

But…no, he was just starting in his fun.

"You have a beautiful home, Elena," Damon said with a smile and Elena gave him a smile back and Damon looked over at Harry who was pouting on the couch.

"And beautiful friends," Damon said, smoothly and loudly.

Elena and Stefan looked shocked at the words while Caroline scowled, viciously at her rival who was now smirking down at the couch, his face smug as ever.

The group settled themselves in Elena's living room. Caroline sat in the large, cushy armchair and her lips were curved into a smug smile as she petted Damon's arm. She was sending her smirk in Harry's direction though the boy didn't pay her any mind to her anger. Bonnie was looking from Caroline to Harry ever few seconds and Stefan sat, protectively, by Elena's side.

Harry could see the warning his eyes held and Harry wondered if Damon was bad news or if it was just that sibling rivalry he'd heard so much about.

"I cannot believe Mr. Tanner let you on the team! Tyler must be _seething_. Good for you. Go for it," Caroline said, her lips curled into an 'endearing' smile and Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes at her.

She was so much like Lavender Brown that it wasn't even funny.

Hermione would've killed her in seconds.

"That's what I always tell him. You have to engage. You can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you. You have to go get it," Damon said and Stefan only glared at his brother while Harry leaned forward with a playful smile playing on his lips.

Harry was intrigued because for some reason, the words didn't seem brotherly in nature but mocking.

"Yeah, Elena wasn't so lucky today. It's only because you missed summer camp. God, I don't know how you're ever going to learn the routines—" Caroline blabbered on and Bonnie interrupted.

"I'll work with her."

"I guess we can put her in the back…" Caroline finished and there was an awkward silence.

Harry couldn't stand those, so of course he had to interrupt it.

"Since when did this become a bloody competition? Or has it always been like that?" Harry asked and Caroline flushed as if she remembered something and Bonnie looked down, as if she were faintly embarrassed by Caroline's behavior.

Elena gave him a grateful look while Damon simply raised an eyebrow.

"You know, you don't seem like the cheerleader type, Elena," Damon said, quietly and Harry raised an eyebrow.

"So you saw it too?" Harry asked and Damon flashed him a quick smile.

"Saw what?" Elena asked, trying to appear and sound innocent.

"You looked bloody miserable," Harry said, flatly.

Caroline rolled her eyes and she gave a dramatic wave of a pale and slender hand.

"Oh, it's just because her parents died. Yeah, I mean, she's just totally going through a blah phase. She used to be way more fun," Caroline said and Harry gave her a completely disgusted look while Elena looked down at her lap, faintly embarrassed.

Caroline seemed to notice what she had said.

"And I say that with complete sensitive," Caroline squeaked and Harry shook his head, angrily.

"You're really starting to get on my nerves, you perky little slag. Think before you speak. You ever heard of that. Well _learn _it because if I hear another insensitive thing come out of your mouth, I'll burn your hair to ashes and dance on them," Harry hissed, angrily and Caroline squeaked as her hand flew up to her hair pretty blonde hair.

Harry spun around and stormed towards the kitchen.

"Sweetheart, it seems that you've got Thumbelina mad. Tsk, tsk," Damon said and Caroline looked over at her 'boyfriend'.

The anger in his eyes was clear.

0o0

Hermione frowned as she sat in the Grill. She was nursing a beer that had been set out in front of her without her even ordering. Apparently, that's what all these small town kids did.

Drank and took drugs.

She wasn't too sure about the drug part but she could afford having a tiny little sip of beer. Harry wasn't here so it wasn't like she was setting a bad example. She was just taking care of herself and she _had _done a lot for him in the past few weeks. Surprisingly, it hadn't been hard to leave her parents behind. But it _was _hard thinking about how frantically they were probably searching.

Hermione sighed and shook her head. Her lips curled in disgust as she watched a boy, the boy who had thrown a football at Harry, squeeze some girl's bottom. She smacked him, lightly though she had a flirtatious look on her face even as she did it. Hermione recognized the girl as Vicki Donovan. She was in one of Hermione's classes.

Hermione looked over at a younger boy in the corner who was watching them. He was also nursing some kind of drink and he looked absolutely miserable. Hermione shook her head in annoyance. He was such a cute boy too though he looked only 16 at most so Hermione could never but to feel miserable over _Vicki_.

She seemed like a great slag to Hermione.

A boy walked over to Misery and sighed.

"She's my sister and I love her but…sometimes, she can really make you work for it," said Vicki's brother.

Mr. Misery and a long swing of his drink.

"I find it pretty easy," Mr. Misery said, softly before he stood and wandered away from Vicki's brother.

Mr. Misery was walking out when Greasy Boy slammed his shoulder into him. Hermione winced and for some reason, felt just a little angry with him for picking on someone much younger than him.

"All right, I get it. Hit me to impress her. Real nice," Mr. Misery snarled and he seemed to have more bark than bite.

He was bit like Harry in that way…he didn't want to fight anymore.

He just looked…tired.

And Hermione's heart went out to him.

"I don't need to impress her. I already won."

Mr. Misery's face screwed up in rage and he shoved Greasy Boy back, making the shorter boy stumble and glare at him in rage. Hermione leaned forward, ready to get between the two at any moment. She had gone through war and had taken shit from Bellatrix Lestrange.

She could handle two little boys.

"You're dead," Greasy hissed.

"Am I? 'Cause it seems like I'm standing here, waiting for you to man up," Misery Boy mocked and Greasy Boy lunged just for Vicki's brother to pull him back.

"Tyler, don't!" Vicki's brother said as he held him back.

"Next time I see you, Gilbert," Tyler warned and Hermione's eyes widened when she realized that perhaps Misery Boy was related to the Elena girl that Harry was now friends with.

"No, next time I see _you_," Misery Boy said and he walked out of the Grill, looking very angry.

'Ty' walked away, angry and Vicki's brother only stared at his sister who had only just begun to realize how far whatever she did had gone. Hermione only felt extreme contempt and disgust for the druggie.

"What are you doing, Vick?" Vicki's brother asked and Vicki shrugged, not understanding.

Hermione gave a dark smile.

Yeah, what _are _you doing, Vicki?

0o0

"You okay, lil' bit?"

"You can stop with the short jokes now. It wasn't funny the first time and contrary to your belief, it doesn't progressively get _any _funnier," Harry snapped and Damon raised an eyebrow.

Harry was sitting at the island, tapping his fingernails on the marble tabletop. Damon leaned forward in interest. He leaned against the island and Harry didn't make a move to look at him. Damon's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"I like you."

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, blandly.

"You have such a…sharp tongue," Damon said, salaciously and Harry snickered, despite himself and the fact that he wasn't a big fan of Damon anymore because he called me short.

"Why do I have a feeling that that was a double entendre?" Harry asked and Damon leaned forward with a flirtatious smile on his face and his blue eyes were an inferno of lust, sexually and otherwise.

"You have a dirty little mind, lil' bit. I like it," Damon smirked and Harry couldn't help the comment that came out of his mouth next.

"I've been told that I have dirty mouth too."

Damon's eyes widened and Harry flushed at the comment and he shook his head looking down at the table, as Damon was struck speechless.

"I'm so—"

There was a faint chuckling before Damon began to snicker at the comment Harry had just made. Harry's lips curled into a half smile and he looked up at the mysterious man that was probably quite a few years older than him, eight at most seeing as he couldn't be over twenty-five.

"Do. Not. Apologize. You're funny. Don't apologize for being amusing," Damon said, shortly and Harry nodded in understading.

"So…what's up with you and Stefan? He doesn't like you at all," Harry said, bluntly and he watched carefully for Damon's response.

He was rewarded with a smirk.

"Stefan and I…well, we've been at odds since _her_. Katherine," Damon said and Harry could tell by Damon's quiet tone of voice that he had some unfinished feelings for this Katherine girl.

"Katherine?"

"Mhmm. She's gone now."

"Dead, you mean. How did she die?" Harry asked in curiosity.

Damon frowned and he looked away, almost pained. He hid his pain well but not well enough. Harry knew that kind of pain that meant loss. Harry had experienced the same when he had watched his godfather die because of one of his stupid mistakes.

"A fire. A…tragic fire."

"Recent?" Harry drilled.

"Well, it seemed like it was yesterday," Damon said, hesitantly as if he were wary of someone listening in though Harry _knew _that Damon's…._girlfriend_, Elena, Bonnie, and Stefan were still talking in the living room.

Probably about him.

It wouldn't be the first time that someone gossiped about him.

But he doubted they were doing it maliciously.

"What was she like?" Harry asked, curiously.

"She was very beautiful. A lot like you in that department."

"Most guys would take offense at being called 'beautiful'," Harry pointed out with a slight smile crossing his face and Damon smiled back at him.

"I'm lucky you're not most guys. She was very complicated and selfish and at times not very kind, but very sexy and seductive. You remind me of her in that way," Damon said, softly and Harry couldn't helped the pleased smile that spread across his face.

"Some would say I'm previous three but do go on and lay it on thick. Anyway, which one of you dated her first?" Harry smirked, triumphantly and Damon raised an eyebrow before giving his own smile.

"Nicely deduced."

"I try."

"Ask Stefan. I'm sure his answer differs from mine," Damon said and he leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed and Harry looked at him with lust in his eyes.

Damon moved fluidly and powerfully. His clothing clung to him, almost like a second skin. His eyes were the brightest blue that Harry had ever seen and they were also the windows to his emotions. Harry could tell that he was planning something. Harry could tell that Damon lusted for him.

It amused him so.

But Harry lusted for him too.

The thought made Harry's lips curl into a half smile. He knew how many people back in Great Britain wished for him to lust after them as they lusted after his body, face, money, and fame. Damon didn't know how fucking lucky he was.

But, Harry was anything but easy so if Damon really did want a quick fuck, he'd make him work for it.

"I'm sorry. About Katherine. You lost her too…I know what it's like to lose someone you love," Harry said, softly.

Damon only looked at him with slight surprise. He was not as stoic as Stefan but he was no less guarded. He had an air of false bravado that Harry wished would just go away. He hated people like that and he could tell that Damon was…different. He had a strong reason for it and Harry wanted to know what it was.

Because he knew, it wasn't only Katherine.

"Hey, we're doing dishes now. Help?"

Harry and Damon looked away from each other and Harry looked at Bonnie and Elena standing in the doorway. Bonnie looked suspicious while Elena simply looked intrigued.

"Sure, why not," Harry murmured and he looked at Damon under thick eyelashes.

The elder Salvatore brother stood and moved away after casting one more look at Harry. Elena looked at him with curiosity and Damon gave her an unfathomable look before he moved on.

Damon stood in the doorway of the living room, listening in on his meal and his brother's conversation.

"Matt tries, but he's having a really hard time. You have to understand that they were each other's first. You know, like, from the sandbox," Blood Pouch Barbie said and Damon watched as his brother stared at her neck instead of paying attention to what she was actually saying.

Perhaps, not all hope was lost…

"That's a really nice scarf."

And there it was. He _knew _Stefan was a closet metrosexual. He was going to have to talk to Stefan about the importance of accepting one's self and all that shit.

"Mm. Thank you, it's new," O-negative said with a proud smile and Damon only rolled his eyes at her behavior.

He could really pick them.

She was hot and she was…_okay _in bed but jeez, her voice was just_…ugh_.

"Can I see it? Do you mind taking it off?" Stefan asked and Damon smirked, triumphantly.

So, that's what his brother was up to. He was trying to discover if Damon was feeding off Caroline and really, Damon didn't mind if he _did _find out. It'd only prove to him that this was the only way and that Damon _needed _human blood. Stefan could eat Thumper and Bambi if he wanted but he was going to stick to the good stuff.

"I can't."

"Why not? You ok?"

"Um…all I know is that I can't take it off," Caroline said with a shrug.

Damon decided that it was time to make his official entrance.

"What are you two kids talking about?" Damon said with a slight smirk on his face and he sat down on the arm of Caroline's chair.

"I was just commenting on her scarf."

He would.

"Hey, you know, Harry and the girls are finishing up the dishes. Why don't you see if you can help?" Damon suggested and Caroline gave him a disbelieving and annoyed look that instantly irked Damon.

"Does it look like I do dishes?" Caroline asked and she gave a little giggle and exchanged a look with Stefan.

Stefan gave a strained smile.

"For me?" Damon said and his smile and stance was tense as he waited for Caroline to agree.

"Mm…I don't think so."

Damon's smiled disappeared and he blinked. His stare's intensity rose and Caroline turned when she felt it. Their eyes locked and Caroline's face and eyes became a blank slate.

"Go see if Harry and the girls need help in the kitchen," Damon hissed, the compulsion working rather quickly on the weak-willed girl.

Caroline frowned before her lips curled into a smile and she said, "You know what, I'm going to see if Elena, Bonnie, and Harry need some help in the kitchen."

Damon gave a mocking smile.

"Great."

Damon watched her flounce out in her little green dress and he knew he needed to feed soon. Perhaps, he'd do it while having sex again. That's been a lot of fun and he was aching for something underneath him after his conversation with the little dark-haired beauty in the kitchen.

"They are people, Damon. She's not a puppet. She doesn't exist for your amusement, for you to feed on whenever you want to," Stefan said, self-righteously and to Damon it was the same shit that he said every time Damon was just being what he was meant to be.

_Blah, blah, blah._

He felt like he was in a Charlie Brown special and the adult was talking to him.

"Sure she does. They all do. They're whatever I want them to be. They're mine for the taking. I wouldn't mind taking the hot little Brit at the moment either…maybe, I'll do that later," Damon said, mostly talking to himself and he completely missed the surprised look that Stefan sent him.

"He was the one you were talking about? The 'bigger prize'? Elena looks just like Katherine. Why wouldn't you want her? Why wouldn't you try to make my life miserable?" Stefan asked in confusion and Damon gave a laugh that was full of malice.

"My life does not revolve around you, little brother. Your little Elena may look like Katherine but she lacks…the sexiness. The seduction. Everything that the little minx has. Unlike you, Stefan, I don't limit myself to the opposite sex. All meals and all romps in the sheets are fair game," Damon smirked and he leaned back onto the chair and Stefan's eyes narrowed in anger.

"Damon, leave him alone. You've had your fun. You used Caroline and you've got to me. Now it's time for you to go," Stefan said, sharply and Damon smirked.

"I don't think so."

"He's different, Damon. There's something about him. He's like Emily. Emily Bennett. Except something different. Something more powerful. Leave him alone," Stefan said and Damon was surprised to hear the warning was for his protection and not for the boy's.

_That _was why Stefan was so wary of the small boy.

"I didn't know you cared. I'm sure I can take care of myself, little brother. I want him. And I get what I want. I'll do whatever I want with the little Lolita. Because that is what is normal to me."

0o0

_He was in a cemetery and it wasn't a cemetery that he was very familiar with._

_Harry had been in two cemeteries in his life and he didn't care for either one. Both held old and terrible memories for him and both had to do with the man who had simply ruined his life._

_Lord Voldemort._

_But, this cemetery was different._

_It was large and the numerous grey headstones were all identical to each other except for the names. Harry wandered among the long rows of gravestones before he was pressed into a statues of angel with a scythe and covered in a robe._

_The shove had knocked his glasses off and he couldn't make out his apprehender's face. He tried to fight against the taller person but his hands only came in contact with a cotton-covered chest. He shoved, weakly but he slowly came to a stop and he let his hands rest on a firm abdomen that very…masculine in nature._

_A thumb was pressed against his lower lip and Harry's lips parted._

_Harry's tongue snuck out and touched the tip of the person…man's thumb and suddenly Harry was pressed roughly into the statue and soft lips were on him. The rest of the man was hardness, including the hard on that was pressed up against Harry's waistband and Harry moaned into the man's mouth._

_The wanton moan seemed to spur his attacker on even more._

_A hand snaked up Harry's shirt and the pads of nimble fingers brushed on Harry's sensitive skin. Harry gave a gasp and the man rolled a pink nipple between a thumb and forefinger until it pebbled. Harry groaned when the man's lips moved down to his neck and Harry thrust his hips forward._

"_Careful, little minx."_

_Harry hissed unintelligibly in Parseltongue and he felt the tension building in him. He mewled, pleadingly and suddenly he felt something digging into his neck that wasn't too comfortable. He tried to push himself away from the man._

"_Geroff," Harry moaned._

"_Mine…"_

_The two fangs pierced his skin and Harry's wanton moans turned in screams of pain…_

Harry flew up, sweat pouring down his face, thick black strands sticking to his forehead. He was breathing harshly and clutching his tank top covered chest. He ran a hand through his clumping hair and took a deep breath.

"Just a dream…just a dream," Harry whispered, as he tried to reassure himself and when he finally did, he fell back into his bed sheets.

He failed to notice the crow hanging on his windowsill.

0o0

"How was dinner yesterday?"

Hermione watched as Harry looked up at her as he pushed breakfast around his plate. He sighed and gave a slight smile before clearing his throat and shoveling eggs into his mouth. Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Obviously, he didn't want to say.

"Harry…" she started and Harry looked up at her, innocently.

"Fine, Hermione."

"So, it was just you Stefan, Elena, Bonnie, and you?"

Then, Harry flushed.

"Not exactly…Caroline, the human Sindy doll, was there with…her 'boyfriend'," Harry said and his voice turned mocking towards the end.

"So, whose her boyfriend?" Hermione asked and here she knew that she had Harry because he sighed and shook his head.

"Damon Salvatore. Hermione, he is…_delicious_. His voice…his face…his lips," Harry said, mischievously and Hermione's eyes widened in shock.

She smacked him, lightly and he looked at her with innocence and crossed arms. Hermione shook her head in disbelief and she gave a loud huff. Harry pouted at her and tilted his head, waiting for her to have her say.

"You've already _kissed _him?"

"Oh, no. But I can tell. He is absolutely _sinful. _A bit of a flirt, seeing as he has a girlfriend but still…" Harry said and he let out a large sigh.

Hermione shook her head in disbelief.

"He has a girlfriend, Harry. He's just going to use you. Don't just sleep with him. Remember how you felt with—"

Harry scowled at her.

"No need to remind me, thank you," Harry said, flatly and Hermione gave him an apologetic look that she sighed and shook her head.

"Please remember…"

"I will, Hermione. Because there's no possible way that I could forget."

0o0

The cheers were deafening and not different from the cheers that had followed the defeat of Voldemort. This had Hermione cringing in itself and she looked at Harry whom was shrunken into her side. She knew he hated crowds and despite this being a small town, this _was _big enough for him to feel uncomfortable in. She squeezed his hand reassuringly and he squeezed back, half-heartedly.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait. Lets be honest here. In the past, we used to let other teams come into our town and roll right over us. But that's about to change. We've got some great new talent tonight starting on the offensive line, and I'm gonna tell you right now, it has been a long time since I have seen a kid like this with hands like these," Mr. Tanner said, giving an impassioned speech that Hermione just had to roll her eyes at.

She knew from Harry's accounts that he was a self-important arse that was overly arrogant and had it out for her green-eyed brother. She wouldn't have it and she was ready to put him in his place if he ever even dared to try to come up to her. She knew many of the teachers were aware that she was sole guardian over Harry but she hoped Mr. Tanner didn't.

He was in for a very _rude _surprise if she heard that he was treating Harry unfairly again.

"Lets give it up for Stefan Salvatore!" cheered Mr. Tanner and Hermione looked at the mysterious and younger Salvatore brother.

He was smiling at Elena and the girl was smiling, rather coyly back.

"This blows."

Hermione looked up as she heard the words and over at the boy who had spoken. She recognized him as Tyler, the boy who had been fighting the Gilbert boy the night before. She felt a flash of fury when she thought of him.

"He can't start the guy. He just got here," Tyler huffed and he pushed past his teammates and moved towards the back and Hermione's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Harry, come on."

She pulled her brother away from the crowd and she knew he was both curious and grateful. He seemed more relaxed now that he was away from most everyone else and towards the very back, where he could get more air.

"What?" Harry asked and Hermione glanced at Tyler.

"I'm just keeping an eye on him. He…worries me," Hermione said and that didn't even sum up her feelings for the boy in the least.

Harry nodded in understanding.

It must be a gut feeling.

"Hey, babe. What's wrong?" Vicki asked as Tyler came up to her.

"Nothing," Tyler said and then his eyes fell on the Gilbert boy that Hermione felt fiercely protective of.

"Is that Jeremy?" he asked.

Ah, so his name was Jeremy. Hermione nodded to herself, glad that she now had a name to put to the face. He didn't really look like Elena at all, to be honest and Hermione wondered why that was.

Vicki turned around and her eyes widened in horror.

"Wait. No. Ty, no, leave him alone," Vicki warned and Jeremy's eyes fell on Tyler and he stood, ready for a fight that obviously wouldn't end well.

"Oh no…" Harry groaned, shaking his head.

"Oh, what do you care?" Tyler said, "Don't look so down."

He said that last part to Jeremy and the drunk boy glared at Tyler and gave him a drunken sneer.

"You can have her when I'm done," Tyler said, finishing with a smirk and then Jeremy struck out at him with a punch to face.

Hermione jumped a little but she saw that her brother had not moved an inch and was watching with some kind of morbid fascination. The fight got even more intense as Tyler slammed Jeremy into the car and then they flipped over to the soundtrack of Vicki screaming at Tyler to let him go and to stop hurting him. Hermione sneered in disgust.

If you wanted something done, you have to always do it yourself.

Hermione started forward just as Stefan Salvatore grabbed Tyler and pulled him back. Hermione watched as Elena tried to move forward and she stopped her with a hold of a hand.

"Hold back, princess. He's drunk."

Hermione knelt by Jeremy whom was looking at her in confusion and she grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Calm down. Don't pick a fight. She's just a girl," Hermione murmured, softly and Jeremy glared at her though his eyes were a little glazed.

"What d'you know? Who the fuck are you?" he slurred and Hermione sighed.

"A friend of your sister's. Don't," Hermione said and Jeremy only glared at her before reaching for the jagged part of a shattered bottle and pushing past her.

Hermione fell to the ground and she stared up at him just as Stefan pushed Tyler to the ground. The bottle slashed through Stefan's hand, leaving a trail of crimson and Jeremy stared in shock at what he had done. Elena started forward and grabbed her brother.

"What the hell, Jeremy?" Elena asked while Harry stared intently at Stefan.

"Put your head up, you're bleeding," Elena said and Jeremy slapped her hand away.

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, you smell fine," Elena snapped and Hermione stood and grabbed Elena by the shoulder gently and Elena turned around.

Hermione slowly pulled Elena away from her younger brother and Jeremy looked at the bushy-haired girl in surprise.

"Stop mothering him," Hermione said, softly and Elena glared at her.

"Who the hell are you to tell me what to do? He's my little brother."

"And Harry's mine. Don't you think I had trouble with him? He has it much worst than Jeremy and you. That terrorist _hunted _him until the very last moments of his life. He fought against him countless times and I tried. I tried what you're doing and it wouldn't work. Doing it with Jeremy won't work. It'll make everything. So. Much. Worst."

Elena glared at her and turned around to see that Jeremy had disappeared. She huffed before turning her attention to Stefan and darting forward.

"Oh my God, your hand. Is it deep?" Elena asked, frantically and before she could grab it, Stefan hid it behind his body and Hermione frowned at his suspicious behavior.

She glanced at Harry but Harry was still enraptured with the scene before him.

Elena grabbed his hand and forced it open to reveal skin without any blood on it. Hermione stared in shock and she watched as a victorious and triumphant smile spread across Harry's face.

"But I saw it."

"He missed. It's not my blood," Stefan said, wiping the dried blood onto his jeans and Elena shook her head in disbelief.

"No, no, no. I saw it! The glass cut your hand. It was…"

"It's ok. I'm ok. It's almost kick-off time, all right? So, um, I'll, uh, I'll see you after the game," Stefan said before walking away and rather quickly at that.

Elena continued to stare after him in disbelief.

Hermione smirked.

She had to give the girl credit.

Elena definitely wasn't going to give up.

0o0

Harry and Elena walked together across the field after they had secured seats. Hermione was not joining them and Harry suspected why. It all had to do with Elena's little brother and Harry knew that Jeremy Gilbert intrigued Hermione. He just wasn't sure if it was platonic or…something else.

Knowing Hermione, she probably felt all motherly.

"Tiki, it's all wobbly. Can you stand straight?" Fashion Doll asked and Harry sneered at her in disgust.

She had a little scarf around her neck with her little cheerleading out fit that was too short and just made him feel disgusted. He knew that Hermione would die if she were forced into something that short and he knew Ginny…the slut, would flourish in the tiny skirt.

"Could someone please help Tiki?" Caroline huffed.

Bonnie bounced over the two, ignoring Caroline's drama queen attitude. She smiled at her new friend and her best friend.

"Hey! Where have you two been?"

Harry shrugged while Elena bit her lip. She had confided in him what she wanted to ask Bonnie and she looked reluctant to do so. Harry shook his head and leaned forward. Bonnie leaned forward as well, understanding that this was a conversation that should be kept from prying eyes and overhearing ears.

"If we ask you this question, you _have _to promise that you'll give us deadly serious answer. Capisce?" Harry asked and Bonnie nodded, completely understanding the seriousness of the conversation though she was still unaware of the topic.

"Of course. What's up?"

"The bad mojo," Elena blurted out and she sighed before continuing, "when you touched Stefan and you had that reaction…"

Bonnie interrupted with, "You know what? Forget that I said that. Your little dinner party plot totally won me over. Even Harry thinks he's okay. Right?"

Harry smirked at that.

"No, not really. He's…odd," Harry said, softly and Elena glanced at him before nodding once in agreement.

"But, Bonnie…seriously…did you see something? Or…" Elena said, hesitantly and Bonnie shook her head.

"It wasn't clear like a picture. Like today, I keep seeing those same numbers I told you about…8, 14, 22."

"Yeah?" Harry asked, waiting for her response.

This would prove whether or not his theory about Bonnie being a Seer was correct. Bonnie shot him a strange look that was fleeting and it disappeared just a few moments later in favor of a frown.

"When I touched Stefan, it was a feeling. And it vibrated through me, and it was cold, and it was…" Bonnie trailed off.

"And what?" Elena and Harry asked, anxiously.

"It was death. It's what I imagine death to be like."

Harry's head was swirling with the information that he had just learned and he tried to piece everything together. He knew so little about the mysterious Salvatore brothers and he wanted to learn more.

But the incriminating evidence showed that they were some kid of magical creature…

He had to think this out.

"I have to…I hate crowds. I'm going to sit in my car for a moment," Harry said before walking away from the two confused and worried girls.

0o0

Harry walked through the dark and deserted parking lot, slowly. He felt the rod of his wand in his pocket and this reassured him greatly. Harry swallowed as he stood near his car and leaned on it for just a moment. He reached inside for his jacket as it was getting a little cold. He pulled the leather jacket out and turned around.

He jumped when he saw who was standing only a few inches away from him with a sly smile upon his face.

"Shit! You scared me," Harry admonished and Damon Salvatore's sly smile only grew wider.

Harry flushed furiously when he realized just how close Damon was and he shook his head and backed into the side of his car even further. The sly smile on Damon's face spoke not of only mischief but a hint of danger that put Harry on edge. It was attractive and dangerous and that was always a terribly combination.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, finding his voice.

Damon looked over his shoulder before leaning forward and whispering, "I'm hiding from Caroline."

Harry burst out laughing and shook his head in mirth. Damon looked triumphant at causing that reaction from Harry and he tilted his head, forward.

"And why is that?" he whispered back.

"I need a break. She talks more than I can listen," Damon said, conspiratorially and Harry laughed again though his volume was lower and it sounded throatier than he had actually intended for it to sound.

"That could be a sign."

"She's awfully young," Damon assented and Harry frowned.

"I'm her age."

Damon smirked, "I know…Lolita."

Harry glared at him for the nickname and he crossed his arms in annoyance.

"Yes, well…"

"She drives me crazy, though. I can't see it going anywhere in the bigger picture," Damon said and the first part of his sentence sounded…dirty and rather sexual.

Harry glared at the ground in jealousy.

"I don't think you should be talking to me about this," Harry snapped in annoyance.

Damon gave him an innocent look.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. That wasn't my inten—"

"Wasn't your intention? Bullshit. Otherwise you wouldn't be talking to me at all," Harry snapped and he moved to push past Damon who blocked him by pressing a hand against the side of Harry's head on Harry's car.

Harry looked at him in surprise.

"You're right. I do have other intentions."

Harry was even more surprised to hear Damon admit it, though in all honesty, he shouldn't have been surprised in the least.

"But so do."

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, flatly.

"Mhmm…I seem 'em. You want me."

It was one thing for Harry to acknowledge that to himself and to tell someone that. But he hadn't told Damon anything. It was another to assume such a thing. It was a little insolent and arrogant of Damon and Harry didn't like those traits at all. He sneered at Damon in disgust.

"Once again, excuse me? Who the hell do you think you are?" Harry snarled and he almost squeaked when Damon pressed himself against Harry, crushing the boy to the side of the car.

"I get to you. You're drawn to me. You think about me even when you don't want to think about me. I bet you've even dreamed of me. And now…you want to kiss me," Damon said, softly and Harry flushed under his intense and lusty gaze.

Damon leaned forward and brushed his lips against Harry's. Harry turned his head away from the man when Damon fixed him with a bone-melting kiss and he grabbed Harry's full lower lip between his teeth and tugged. Harry squirmed underneath him and Damon's libido kicked in. Harry could feel his growing erection and he could also feel his own. Harry frowned before he reached his hands to Damon's chest and shoved his entire magic forward into his hands.

Damon flew back and fell to the ground, looking up at Harry rather dazed. He seemed shocked that Harry had stopped kissing him and Harry was too angry to consider the reason for his shock. Green eyes stared down at the cunning man in disgust.

"What the hell? I don't know what kind of game you're playing but I'm not playing it with you. You may be hot and I _may _want you to do unsavory things to me but lets get something straight. I'm. Not. Fucking. Easy."

Harry stormed away with blazing green eyes and Damon stared after the little spitfire.

Harry was too far away to hear the man's next whispered words.

"We'll see, Lolita."

0o0

"You gonna be able to play?" Matt asked and Stefan looked over at the human boy in surprise before nodding, realizing that he was speaking about his 'injured' hand.

"Oh, yeah, I'm good."

"Uh…what you did back there…you had Jeremy's back," Matt said, quietly and Stefan could feel his awkwardness permeating the very air around him and in turn making the whole conversation awkward.

"Ah, he's a messed up kid. And I wasn't the only one looking out for him," Stefan said.

Matt nodded in agreement as they both thought back to the pretty girl with large and rather bushy hair. Stefan frowned in contemplation while Matt let out a long-winded sigh as he tried to figure out what to say to end the end awkward silence that had descended upon the two teammates.

"Who was she?" Matt asked.

"Harry Noir's older adopted sister," Stefan said.

He prepared to go on when Matt blurted out, "This week at practice I was a dick."

Stefan looked over at him, surprised that he had actually worked up the courage to admit it.

"Had your reasons," Stefan grunted and Matt shook his head.

"No excuse for it though. Good luck tonight, man. We're lucky to have you," Matt said, almost shyly and he offered his hand.

Stefan looked down at the offered truce in shock and he grabbed it, ready to end the pointless 'feuding' that had not yet truly begun but had almost been there. He shook it and Matt nodded before walking off and leaving Damon there.

He heard the soft clapping and he spun around, quickly.

"Isn't that nice? Stefan joins a team and makes a friend. It's all so 'rah, rah, go team, yeah'," Damon said, mockingly and Stefan heard the slight hint of bitterness in his voice and he wondered what had caused such a reaction from his brother.

Not that he had been unaware that his brother was bitter.

But still, he wondered what or perhaps who had made it surface.

"Not tonight, Damon. I don't want to deal with you," Stefan said, sharply and turned just to see his older brother appear in front of him with a hard glint in his eyes.

"Nice trick with the Lolita."

"Excuse me?" Stefan asked in surprise and Damon snorted.

"Like you don't know. You gave him vervain, didn't you? I admit, I was surprised. It's been so long—"

Stefan shook his head, stopping his brother in his tracks. He only pondered on how amazing a feat that was for just a few seconds.

"I didn't give Harry any vervain."

"You're lying. He resisted my compulsion without a second thought," Damon said and his usual arrogant tone of voice was tinged with disbelief and maybe a tiny bit of fear if Stefan really listened.

"I'm not. I haven't given anyone any vervain," Stefan said, neglecting the fact that just earlier he had given Elena a necklace stuffed with vervain to protect her from his brother.

It seemed that he had given the vervain to the wrong person.

"Then how…it doesn't matter," Damon snapped and Stefan knew that he was lying and that Damon was truly worried about his devious little plans.

"Why?" Stefan challenged.

"I'll just seduce him the old-fashioned way. Or I could just…eat him," Damon said and it sounded like he was seriously having a hard time choosing between the two.

Stefan frowned. He was wary of Harry, especially now that he knew that he could resist Damon's compulsions but Harry was Elena's friend and he knew it'd hurt her to lose yet another person.

Especially the boy that she considered a kindred spirit in her ordeal.

"No. You're not going to hurt him," Stefan said, flatly and Damon snickered.

"Why do you care? At least he isn't your precious Elena. Or does your hand of protection go out to all her little friends?" Damon mocked and Stefan only gave his brother a serious look that held no anger but only slight sympathy.

"No. I just know you're not going to hurt him. Because deep down inside, there is a part of you that feels for him. I was worried that you had no humanity left inside of you. That you may have actually become the monster that you pretend to be," Stefan said, solemnly and even then Damon put on his bravado and gave his cool and overconfident leer.

"Who's pretending?" Damon smirked.

"Then kill me."

Damon faltered and he played it off with his arrogance.

"Well, I'm…I'm tempted…"

"No," Stefan said, cutting him off, "you're not. You have had lifetimes to do it, and yet, here I am still alive. I'm still alive. And there you are. You're still haunting me after 145 years. Katherine is _dead_."

Stefan knew that he sounded almost callous but he needed to get this through to his brother. Even after all these years, he still loved him as only a younger siblings could love their role model, their older sibling.

"And you hate me because you loved her. And you torture me because you still do. And that, my brother, is your humanity," Stefan said, almost proudly and he was well aware of the frightfully serious and dangerously pissed off look on Damon's face.

"Salvatore!"

Stefan almost groaned as the voice of Coach Tanner interrupted what he was hoping was a brother-to-brother healing moment. Coach Tanner came closer, looking vaguely annoyed.

"What the hell? We've got a game to play," Coach Tanner said, sounding dangerously close to whining.

Stefan missed the glint enter his brother's eyes.

"If that's my humanity, what's this."

Stefan watched in horror as Damon almost glided forward and caught Tanner by the neck and buried his fangs deep into Tanner's neck.

"No!" Stefan cried out.

Damon continued drinking viciously and greedily until Tanner's eyes glazed over and the blue-eyed man let his prey fall to the ground, drained and lifeless. Dark veins protruded near Damon's eyes and his skin was a sickly pallor and he had a vicious, self-satisfied grin upon his face.

"Anyone, anytime, any place."

0o0

The animal control unit arrived and Hermione stood with Harry as the coroner rolled the body away. They both had gotten a pretty good look at it and they knew instantly what it was. They wouldn't be able to share their thoughts until they were alone and it would look suspicious if they, the new kids just left all of a sudden.

"Bonnie…Bonnie, are you okay?" Harry suddenly asked and Hermione looked over at the boy who was shaking his friend as she whimpered, sounding very afraid.

Harry took a step towards Bonnie and she clung to him. He was only tall enough to reach just above her shoulders though he let her hug him. She was whispering something and he frowned and concentrated to hear she was saying.

"18…14…22."

She was pointing now and Harry looked at the sign that read 'BLDG 8'. Harry felt chills run down his spine and goosebumps raised on his skin. Bonnie pointed next to the license plate on one of the officials' cars. It read 'FHT 14'. Harry felt tenser now when she finally redirected her gaze to the parking space next to it.

It was marked 22.

His suspicions were right and it had been such a horrible way to prove it.

Harry couldn't help but think of Mr. Tanner again and he knew instantly what had killed him.

Vampire.

0o0

"Jeremy?"

Hermione looked down at the boy, tentatively and she felt slightly saddened to see him sitting there, putting an ice cold beer can to his forehead instead of an ice pack. He didn't even look at her, intent on ignoring her. Hermione wasn't one to give up and she sat down across from and crossed her legs.

They were near the bleachers on the field and it was true that Jeremy had purposely isolated himself from all the drama and most of all, all the people, including Tyler. He didn't want her there but Hermione was going to be there anyway.

"Who are you?" Jeremy finally asked and Hermione beamed at him.

At least she didn't have to _force _him to talk to her.

"A friend."

0o0

Harry twisted and turned in his bed, sheets tangling with his lean legs and his hair sprawled out over the pillows. He was whimpering in his bed and a frown marred his beautiful face. It was quite obvious that he was having a nightmare and a rather bad one at that. Sweat was pouring down his face and he tossed and turned as he tried to escape from his dream world.

"Shh…shh."

A gentle hand stroked its way down the length of Harry's face and he slowly but surely began to calm down, unaware of his observer.

"Sleep well, Lolita."

:::

**A/N: **Hi! I hope you liked this chapter. A lot of it is taken from Season 1 Episode 3, Friday Night Bites. It doesn't really deviate from Vampire Diaries canon for a while. Please bare with it and would it kill you, my lovelies, to _REVIEW?_

Please tell me:

_What did you like?_

_What did you dislike?_

_What would you like to see?_

_What _PAIRINGS _would you like to see?_

Thank you all!_  
><em>


	3. Part III

**Title: **Nightfall

**Pairing: **HP/DS, EG/SS, others from canons

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Vampire Diaries nor do I own Harry Potter.

**Note: **This came to me after I was watching Vampire Diaries for the umpteenth time. While I was doing that, I was on deviantart and I came across a picture that intrigued me to the point that I just had to get _something _out.

Anyway, this starts at Season 1 Episode 3 because I need canon to be shot to hell as soon as possible. Well…sort of shot to hell.

And in this chapter, I've…changed canon a bit for Harry Potter, as well. I wasn't going to except for the whole EWE thing but I definitely am now. Anyway, we'll just be getting on with the story.

Nightfall

By: Sistersgrimmlover

**Part III:**

"_Hello again, friend of a friend_

_I knew you when_

_Our common goal was waiting for the world to end_

_Now that the truth is just a rule that you can bend_

_You crack the whip_

_Shape-shift and trick_

_The past again"_

_-Black Sheep, Metric_

"Scum ball. Scum bucket."

Harry snorted into his breakfast as Jenna described the man on the news. Elena looked rather confused. She had been busy pouring her cereal after she had poured Harry's. The two had been spending more time together and at first, Jenna hadn't liked him at all, seeing as he was a boy and Elena hadn't yet told him to go home when it was nearing midnight. They had also been holed up in her room.

It had been right after the tragic football game and Elena hadn't wanted to be alone. Harry hadn't wanted her to be alone either, for some strange reason.

He could clearly remember Hermione's reaction to that one…

"_Harry!"_

_Harry had cringed at Hermione's shrill shout and he looked down, green eyes cast to the ground. Hermione was staring at him with deep brown eyes of absolute disbelief and in all honestly, Harry couldn't say that she wasn't right. It didn't make sense._

"_I know, Mione. I know but…it's a vampire…"_

"_We came here to get away from all things magical, Harry! If there are vampires, there's a chance that they'll know who you are. We're leaving!" Hermione announced and as soon as she had, she had begun moving about her room and tossing clothes into her trunk._

_It was now Harry's turn to stare at her._

"_Hermione, you're overreacting and we're in America. I doubt they'll know who I am. And I can't leave Elena and Bonnie," Harry said._

_Damon went unsaid but it was loud and clear._

_Despite the fact that he had attempted to take advantage of Harry, Harry still felt incredibly drawn to him. And Hermione didn't need to know what had happened anyway. Not unless Harry wanted her to have a brain hemorrhage._

"_Elena? Bonnie? Girls you just met?" Hermione demanded, her voice growing higher and louder._

"_I…I feel incredibly attached to them," Harry admitted and Hermione's eyes dilated and Harry just knew that she was preparing to scream at him once more._

"_HARRY JAMES POT—"_

"_Bonnie's a Salem witch and I think Elena is somehow connected to the vampires."_

_Silence._

_Pure, unadulterated, and absolutely beautiful silence._

"_What?"_

"_It's true. Bonnie's a Salem witch…well, not a __**witch**__. She's not powerful enough for that. She's a Seer. She predicted something bad was going to happen. And Elena…Elena's involved somehow. And Stefan…he's not human. There's something going on here and I want to find out."_

"_Harry, is this your hero complex again?" Hermione groaned despite the fact that she was obviously intrigued by the idea of Bonnie being part of the 'witches' from Salem._

"_I guess it is."_

And so, he had ended up in Jenna's guest bedroom.

The woman had still been nervous about him even when Elena had reassured her.

Of course, when Jenna found out that he was gay, she was cool with him and he'd ended up sleeping over after he told Hermione that he wouldn't be home and that she could just pick him up in the morning.

"Who are you talking to?" Elena questioned with a look that questioned her aunt's sanity.

"Him. The news guy, also known as Logan 'Scum' Fell. Did your mom ever tell you why I moved away from Mystic Falls?" Jenna asked with annoyance and a hint of bitterness coloring her voice and Harry had to hide his smile again.

"Oh no. No way! He's cute," Elena said with a sly grin.

Harry snorted.

"Cute? He's downright hot. I wouldn't mind a piece of that," Harry leered and Elena burst into laughter while Jenna sneered at the comment and kept her look of absolute disgust in place.

"Hot? He is not hot. There's nothing hot about him. What are you doing with that?" Jenna asked, surprised when she saw Elena sit down with and old wooden box in front of her and Harry leaned forward, curious.

There were several old trinkets inside, including a very beautiful wedding ring. Elena was apparently sorting through all this old junk and Harry wondered if it were family heirlooms. He couldn't help but think about the vault that he had had to sort through before he left London.

"I went yesterday and I got it out of the safety deposit box. Mom had told Mrs. Lockwood that she would loan it to the founder's council for their heritage display," Elena explained and Harry frowned in confusion and he leaned forward.

"Founder's council? Heritage display?" Harry questioned.

"Oh, right. It's this big thing. The Founder's council is a bunch of people that were part of the founding families of Mystic Falls. They show family heirlooms and stuff. Tomorrow's the party. It'd be really cool if you came," Elena said, off-handedly and Harry nodded, slowly as he thought about it.

"Is that Grandma Beth's wedding ring?" Jenna asked and Harry watched as she continue to look through the box of heirlooms.

"Originally, it was great-great-Grandma Mary's wedding ring," Elena said just as her younger brother wandered in.

Harry's eyes swept over his long and tall body and he couldn't deny that the boy was hot. Not that he'd ever say it aloud. Elena would probably start freaking out and it seemed like his sister had already called dibs on this one, maternal or otherwise.

Jeremy snatched a pocket watch from the box and flipped it over in his hand.

"How much do you think this stuff is worth? You know, like, on ebay?" Jeremy smirked, almost arrogantly and Elena reached up and snatched it from his hands as Harry snickered, softly.

"You're not gonna find out."

Jeremy's eyes flashed and he looked almost hostile now.

"That stuff's mom and dad's. You can just give it away," he snapped as he stumbled over to the kitchen counter and began to make himself some food.

"I am not giving it away. It's called a loan, Jeremy," Elena snapped just as the doorbell rang.

"My sister's here," Harry groaned and Jeremy frowned and looked up, rather curious.

"Your sister?" he questioned.

Harry's eyes widened in shock and his lips curled into a slight grin. He cocked an eyebrow and he wondered…

"Yeah. Is it okay if she comes in?" Harry asked Jenna and the woman shrugged.

Harry went to open the door and was surprised to see not only Hermione, but also Stefan. The young woman was glaring at the suspicious young man but her expression brightened when she saw Harry. Harry's lips curled into a smile.

"Come in, come in," Harry said and he pulled his sister inside.

Hermione stumbled in after him and Elena looked up and gave a little wave. Her smile brightened when she saw Stefan appear as well. Jenna walked up to Hermione, fluidly and offered a hand.

"Nice to meet you. Your name?" Jenna asked.

"Hermione."

Here, Jeremy spun around faster than a shot of lightening. He stared with shocked and disbelieving eyes. He opened his mouth once.

"You?" Jeremy croaked and Hermione offered a slight and almost shy smile and Harry's eyes widened in an almost malicious glee.

"Hi, Jeremy," Hermione said, giving a little wave.

"You know each other?" Jenna and Elena asked in unison and even Harry found it a little creepy at how similar they sounded.

"Yeah, a bit," Jeremy said, sharply and Hermione's smile didn't falter at all as she watched Jeremy turn and open the fridge so that it hid him from the rest of the occupants of the room.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," Hermione finally said, turning to Jenna and the older woman was snapped out of her shock, quickly.

"Oh, sorry. Jenna."

"Nice to meet you, Miss…"

"No. Just Jenna," Jenna interrupted and Hermione nodded in understanding.

She turned to Harry.

"Harry, we have to go."

Harry frowned in confusion and Hermione was giving him a rather pointed look.

"Why?" Harry questioned.

"We have to talk."

0o0

Damon looked up for a fleeting second before looking back down at the decrepit and terribly written book that he had found in Caroline's room. The blonde's smile faltered as she smoothed her hand over the unflattering yellow dress.

"Not yellow. Jaundice. Go for the blue," Damon said, flatly and he didn't see Caroline pouting in annoyance.

"I don't like the blue."

He certainly _heard _her pouting and it was getting rather annoying, to be honest.

"Well, I do. And if I'm going to be your date—"

"You _cannot _be my date. My mother is going to be there, and she's a proud gun owner," Caroline said and Damon gave her look that almost said he cared though in all honesty, he didn't give a shit.

He didn't look up from the book again, more intent on reading. He turned the page and cleared his throat.

"I went through a lot of trouble to make sure this party wasn't cancelled. It's very important I be there…" Damon said and he turned to look at Caroline.

His blue eyes dilated and Caroline jolted as she stared into the pools of compulsion.

"Please take me."

Their connected gazes didn't break and Caroline felt like she was drowning. She swallowed and her smile, slowly faded as she pulled further into his eyes and his command. She twitched and looked up with a bright smile.

"You should come to the Founder's party with me."

Damon smirked. Thatta girl.

"Not if you're wearing that dress. What's so special about this Bella girl? Edward's so _whipped_," Damon spat in disgust as he read a story about a teenage romance between a mortal and a 'vampire'.

As he watched Caroline undress and move to the closet to pick a dress, Damon entertained himself with thoughts of how this would play out in the real world. There would be no romance if it were the real world. The girl would've been eaten in seconds if it were.

"You've got to read the first book, first. It won't make sense if you don't," Caroline said and she reached over to pull the blue strapless dress up over her and she moved to in front of the mirror once again.

"Ah…I miss Anne Rice. She was always so on point…"

And she had been. He wondered who the unlucky bastard was that told her about them.

"How come you don't sparkle?" asked Caroline and Damon resisted the urge to bash his head in the nearest wall at the stupid question.

"Because I live in the real world where vampires burn in the sun."

"Yeah, but you go outside," Caroline continued, curiously and Damon sighed and decided to humor her.

"I have a ring. I protects me. Long story."

Caroline inspected her shoulders in the long mirror and Damon knew that she was looking at her bites. He felt no remorse in taking a bit out of her even though it seemed that she hated them. Well, when she wasn't under his compulsion that is.

"Do these bites turn me into a vampire?" Caroline asked, slightly dazed and Damon wondered why she was asking so many Goddamn questions.

Damon slammed the book closed and put it to the side as Caroline moved over to him.

"It's more complicated than that. You'd have to feed on my blood, then die, then feed on a human's, whole ordeal. This book, by the way, has it all wrong," Damon said and he grabbed her wrists, pulled her down, and flipped her so that he was on top of her.

She giggled and Damon almost sneered at how obnoxious it sounded. He began to press kisses down the column of her neck and the line of her jaw though they weren't hard enough to cause unwanted hickeys.

"You can be very sweet when you want to," Caroline murmured and Damon nodded against her neck.

"Yes, I can be sweet," he crooned.

He caressed her face, wishing that it was not a tan supple body underneath him but a pale delicate body with bright green eyes and jet black hair. Damon pulled away from his fantasy when he noticed the disturbed look on Caroline's face.

"Are you going to kill me?"

Damon smirked.

"Mmm-hmm. But not yet."

"Why not?"

"Because there's something I need you to do for me," Damon answered, patiently and Caroline's lips curled into gleeful smile.

"Anything…"

"How good are you at getting this little nose where it doesn't belong?" Damon asked and he tapped her nose for emphasis.

"Oh, I'm excellent," Caroline smiled.

"Mmm," Damon said and he pressed his lips to Caroline's pink ones.

And while Caroline was out doing his bidding like a good little drone, he was going to be out, looking for his Lolita.

0o0

"So, Hermione, are you going to tell me why you made me leave Elena's house?" Harry demanded as the two teenagers walked into the house and the curly-haired woman turned around and gave him a look over her shoulder.

"Yes. I will. Come into the living room. It's there."

She led him into the spacious and nice sitting room and Harry's eyes widened when he saw a large and rather old looking book sitting in the middle of their sitting room on the coffee table. There was a smaller pile of books next to it but it seemed to pale in comparison, height and width wise.

"And what is this?" Harry asked.

"Well…I went to the library after you told me about Bonnie and how her grandmother told her that she was witch. I was…"

"Curious, I know. I should've expected that you'd eventually find the library here," Harry said, teasingly and when Hermione didn't smile back, Harry she knew she was rather serious and he gave her a look that told him that he was just as.

"I found this old book about the history of Mystic Falls. I found a lot of interesting information that I intend to look into more and I was almost tempted to become distracted but I had to make sure my goal was concentrated. Bonnie…her family _is _from Salem but they've been here for a long time. And look who her first primary ancestor was…Emily Bennett," Hermione said and she sat down on the couch, pulling the large book onto her lap.

Harry stood with a growing frown as Hermione began to flip through the pages of the book. It was confusing and Harry didn't understand how this constituted him leaving his friend's house. He knew Hermione was always eager to share information but this was bit of an overkill, especially when she was trying to make him feel like a normal teenager.

"Harry, come here," Hermione said, impatiently and Harry moved around the short table to sit down next to her.

She almost dwarfed him, even when they were sitting on a couch.

He looked down at the page and his eyes widened. It was a black and white picture but it was the people _in _it that surprised him.

A woman that held some resemblance to Bonnie stared up at him with sorrowful eyes. But, she wasn't the main point of the portrait. It was the other woman, a beautiful woman with curly brown hair and dark almond-shaped eyes. She had tan skin and a coy, sensual look about her.

And she looked just like Elena.

Harry brushed his fingertips across her face.

"Elena?" Harry whispered and Hermione shook her head and pointed at the caption of the portrait.

"Katherine Pierce. She died in a fire it says," Hermione murmured and Harry paled as he recalled the words that Damon had spoken to him in Elena's kitchen just as few days ago.

"_Katherine?"_

"_Mhmm. She's gone now."_

"_Dead, you mean. How did she die?"_

"_A fire. A…tragic fire."_

"Damon…Damon mentioned a Katherine," Harry said, quietly and Hermione's expression became grimmer as she turned the page of the book and Harry felt nausea rumble in his stomach as he caught sight of two grinning boys.

The Salvatore brothers.

0o0

"You're taking _Damon _to the Founder's party? What about me?" Bonnie demanded as she and Caroline walked into the Mystic Grill.

Caroline was flouncing about and walking like she owned the damn world and Bonnie felt bad that she was about to bring the world crashing down around her. She couldn't quite understand how Caroline didn't see that Damon was sort of bad news.

"Go with Elena," Caroline said, cheerfully and Bonnie frowned.

"She's asking Stefan," Bonnie snapped and Caroline shrugged as they sat down at an empty table.

"Ok, go by yourself."

"Gee, thanks," Bonnie asked with a sarcastic smile before she continued, "What about your mom? Is she okay with you…bringing Damon?"

Caroline raised an eyebrow.

"And…I'm supposed to care, why?"

"He's older sexy danger guy. Not to the mention that he keeps eye-fucking Harry," Bonnie mentioned, off-handedly and Caroline twitched at the mention of the small Brit.

"No, he isn't. And really? Sexy danger guy? Is that an official witch twitter tweet?" Caroline asked, nastily and Bonnie knew that the jab had been born from her mention of Caroline's 'rival' of sorts.

"No more witch jokes. Okay? That whole Mr. Tanner prediction thing has me freaked and I don't need you to mention it," Bonnie said, pointedly and Caroline didn't even have the grace to look embarrassed.

Bonnie wondered what was happening to her friend. She had been like this, sarcastic and mean, since she had met Damon. Bonnie couldn't help but wonder if the older man had started this change in her sweet blonde friend.

"Okay. And Damon's not dangerous, you know. He's just got a lot of issues with his brother. You know, like major, deep-rooted drama," Caroline said and Bonnie frowned as Caroline looked around, biting her lip.

"Like…?"

"I'm not really supposed to say anything," Caroline confessed and Bonnie looked at her friend in complete disbelief.

"Caroline Forbes, have you ever kept a secret in your life?" Bonnie asked and Caroline laughed, quietly before shaking her head and leaving across the table with a slight smile on her face.

"Okay…but you can't tell Elena."

0o0

Hermione sat at a different table at the Mystic Grill with a book on the table and a glass of Coke. She didn't even notice her little brother's friend and arch-nemesis sitting just out of earshot. Hermione looked up and saw Jeremy sitting at the bar, watching Vicki Donovan, as Hermione had learned her name was. The brunette shook her head in disgust.

"So whatcha going to buy me?"

Hermione turned her head and watched Tyler Lockwood stalk Vicki up the stairs and the girl sneered at him.

"Some class."

Ah, finally. The girl was finally getting some sense and realizing that Tyler was bad news.

"Oh, your parents are gone. I guess we can be close now, huh?" Vicki challenged and she spun away from Tyler, her hair flying behind her in big curls.

"And what the hell does that mean?" Tyler challenged with righteous anger and Hermione resisted the urge to snort at that one.

"You treat me like trash. I'm sick of it," Vicki finally said and Hermione resisted the urge to go buy a cake for the girl for finally realizing that Tyler was a womanizing bastard.

Hermione had only been at the school for a few days and even she knew that Tyler was totally not worth all of this shit. Jeremy was glaring holes into Tyler's back but the shorter and older boy didn't even seem to notice.

Tyler actually looked confused.

Bless his soul.

"I don't think your trash," he said and Hermione snorted, quietly.

"Really? Then who are you taking to the Founder's party?"

Hermione's excitement was dashed. Vicki merely wanted him to take her to the Founder's party and she had had to shove it in his face to make him understand. She wasn't sure which of the two was stupider.

Tyler gave a smirk.

"Vicki Donovan, do you want me to ask you to the Founder's party?" Tyler asked, sounding almost smug and Hermione just wanted to gag.

"No…it'll be stupid and lame," Vicki said, attempting to sound coy and reluctant.

Hermione supposed that Vicki thought it was attractive and Tyler seemed to be falling for it. Oh, well…to each his own. She was no one to judge. She had dated a stupid, smug boy just like Vicki was attempting to do now. At least Hermione didn't have to deal with the fickle redhead anymore here across the pond.

"True. But it'll be less stupid and lame if you were there."

He gave what _looked _like a genuine smile before her fell back and turned to catch up with his parents or wherever he was going. The boy saw her looking at him and almost stopped to walk up to her before Hermione shot him a warning look. Tyler gave her a slightly surprised and annoyed look before he continued on his way.

"You do know you had to ask him to ask you," Hermione said, softly though loudly enough for Vicki to turn to look at her.

Jeremy turned as well and looked at her in genuine surprise, as if she had taken the words right out of his mouth. The thought almost made Hermione burst out into honest laughter but she kept an unnerving stare on Vicki who looked caught.

"No one asked you," Vicki snarled, annoyed and Jeremy glared at her though he seemed surprised by this action as well.

"You think if you dress like a respectable young lady, he'll treat like one? I tried that once, Vicki, but he only treated me more like crap because he thought he could. You can't change the way he sees you, even if you _do _like a princess because in his mind, you'll never be one. You'll always be the drug—" Hermione said, scathingly and bitterly as she recalled broken memories and sad nights of her fourth and sixth year when Vicki stormed up to her, eyes blazing.

"Screw you. You act like you know but you don't. Are you putting your own little Brit life experiences on me? Is that what happened to you? Cause that's sad," Vicki said, mockingly and she looked ready to keep going when a hand wrapped around his wrist and gave a harsh but not violent squeeze.

Vicki turned around to see Jeremy. His eyes were flashing and he didn't looked like he was ready to be lenient with her.

"Vicki. Stop."

Vicki looked shocked that the boy who had once been _begging _for her attention was now protecting the new girl. Vicki didn't even think Jeremy even _knew _the girl but here he was protecting _her_. It only made Vicki hater her more.

"Jeremy?" Vicki asked, with a confused smile on her face.

"Leave Hermione alone. She's saying exactly what I was thinking. Just…leave it. Because you know it's true," Jeremy said, quietly and Vicki looked at him, sputtering before she made a noise that clearly blew him off.

She stormed away and Hermione turned to Jeremy.

"Thanks."

"Your welcome."

0o0

Zach Salvatore walked through the house, confidently and rather light-hearted until he saw the one person that he wished to see the very least of all.

He was lounging on the couch as if he owned the place, which he did though Zach loathed to admit it. The man had his nose in a book, which actually wasn't new as Zach had seen Damon with a book many times. The man didn't look it but he definitely new literature.

The man didn't look like a killer demon either but his mother had always told him never to judge a book by its cover.

How true that was…

"Didn't know you were here," Zach said, gruffly and Damon looked over for a split second before he slowly turned the next page.

"Just going through Stefan's homework," Damon said as if were the most normal thing ever and not really creepy as Zach secretly though it was.

He sounded oddly perky and Zach had to wonder if he had eaten someone knew that he had acquired a particular taste for. But, that'd be odd to ask him that so he wouldn't. It's not like he actually wanted to _know_.

He just had a…morbid curiosity.

"Boy, this country sure has dumbed down in the last hundred years. Why he wants to go to high school is beyond me. I mean, in the seventies, he went Ivy League. Harvard, I understood. Actually, no. I didn't get that either," Damon said, conversationally and Zach looked around, feeling a bit awkward that his killer uncle was just hanging around reading from his other younger-older uncle's homework book.

Wow…that's a strange thought.

"Go ahead, purge. Get it out. What's on your mind?"

Zach had to gather his courage to ask this one.

"Damon…why are you here?" Zach asked and he almost flinched, preparing for that so familiar stern 'it's Uncle' snap that he used to get as a young adult when he had _sparingly _seen his immortal uncles.

Damon looked up, putting down the book.

"To spend time with you, Zach. Family's important," Damon said and he said this almost mockingly with a matching smile to go with his nasty tone.

"I know you. You always have a motive. So, tell me. What is it this time?" Zach asked, sounding sterner and more like he wasn't the human talking to a killer vampire who wouldn't hesitate to permanently end the Salvatore line.

And he seemed to take that approach as Damon moved with super speed and suddenly appeared in front of Zach, fingers wrapped around his neck and a sneer upon his face. Zach felt the air escaping him, slowly.

"You are in _no _position to question me," Damon said, coolly as he looked up at his loving and _adoring _nephew.

The man made coughing, gasping noises as he tried to take in air but Damon's hand tightened, mercilessly. Zach knew that he'd have to take a different approach if he wanted to survive this particular encounter.

"I didn't mean to upset you," Zach choked out and Damon gave a cold smirk.

"Zach, nephew…this is not upset. You haven't _seen _upset," Damon snarled and Zach's purple face took on an unhealthy mix of blue and white as he had paled at the promise within the threat.

"What's going on?"

It took every ounce of 'man' inside Zach to _not _burst into tears of relief at the voice of his _other _uncle. His _nicer _uncle.

Stefan…yes!

Damon groaned and dropped Zach to the floor. Zach crumpled and massaged his throat. He knew there were going to be finger-shaped bruises, unfortunately. He didn't go many places so he didn't mind…much.

What the hell?

He was fucking _pissed_ but he wasn't stupid enough to say that to his evil, older, fast, and grudgingly smarter _vampire_ uncle.

"Just a family moment, Stefan. Spending some quality time," Damon said, cheerfully and innocently though he looked the picture of evil at the moment in Zach's biased opinion.

Damon clapped Zach on the back before looking to Stefan.

"I think I'm going to…check in on my little Lolita. Hopefully, he isn't with the cheerleader but with how he reacted to her and _my _luck…I think I'll get what I want before the night is over, yeah?" Damon said with a smirk before he paraded out of the door, tall and proud and Zach stared after him confused.

Stefan darted to Zach's side and knelt by him.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked, concerned and Zach glared.

"No. I'm not! And neither are you. By the way, who the _hell _is Lolita? Some other poor innocent girl that you like but your brother won't let you have," Zach demanded in anger and Stefan grimaced at the insinuation which Zach was surprised by.

"No…not exactly. Lolita is…Harry Noir. _He _is friends with Elena. I spoke to you about Elena," Stefan said, sharply and Zach stared at him in surprise but he shook his head, not caring about that at the moment.

"See! How many more people have to die before you see what he's doing?" Zach said, angrily and Stefan sighed and he sounded incredibly old for just a moment.

"I see, Zach. I see."

"Then why aren't you doing anything?" the human man bellowed and Stefan gave him a warning glance before he looked away, exhausted.

"I can't! I can't, Zach. Human blood is the only way I could stop him. I refuse to have that in my system. I just can't," Stefan explained and Zach's eyes widened in dawning and he slowly stood.

"Vervain. The vervain could weaken him if he ingested it. It would give you the upper hand," Zach said, excitedly though he was still trying to catch his breath but Stefan shook his head.

"Vervain hasn't grown here since 1865. Damon saw to _that_. The little I had, I gave to Elena."

Zach sighed and shook his head. It was time.

It was time to show him what he had been doing for the past few years.

The vervain.

0o0

"Delicate flower vs. Naughty vixen," Bonnie said, teasingly and Harry snorted in amusement as he watched Bonnie go through Elena's nail polish.

"Tough call. Can we mix them?" Elena said, looking to Harry and Harry tilted his head, looking it over, slowly.

"Hmm…I suppose. Though, I won't be too much help, as I don't wear nail polish. I don't even know what I'm supposed to wear to this thing. I'm going to end up going in jeans and Hermione will nag me all night. I suppose that's what I get for bringing my sister as my date," Harry snorted and Bonnie and Elena laugh with him.

"Look at you, getting all pretty for your date. You seem happy-ish," Bonnie said, softly and Harry felt awkward for only the slightest of moments before Elena glanced at him, trustingly.

"I am...ish. Tonight's going to be a good night. But don't let that stop you from telling me whatever it is you wanted to tell me as soon as you walked in the door," Elena said, sitting down and Harry smirked.

"Oh, so you picked up on that too?" Harry snickered and Elena nodded with her own sly grin upon her face as Bonnie looked away, guilty.

"What if I tell you in the morning? I don't want to ruin the night," Bonnie suggested, weakly and Elena glared.

"Bonnie, out with it," Elena commanded, blandly and Bonnie gave another reluctant look to which Harry sighed at.

"Bonnie…just get it over with. We both know you want to say something so just _say _it," Harry sighed, quietly and Bonnie nodded in understanding.

"Ok, but it has to go in the vault, because Caroline will kill me if it gets back to Damon that she squealed. Apparently Stefan has a very interesting back-story," Bonnie said as if she were giving great gossip and Harry's eyes narrowed.

He knew all about Stefan's…_back-story._ But the question was, did Bonnie?

"Uh-huh," Elena said, finally serious.

"Do you know what happened with his ex-girlfriend Katherine?" Bonnie questioned and Elena frowned, shaking her head as Harry nodded.

Both teenage girls looked over at the smaller dark-haired boy. He was leaning back in his seat, nonchalantly and Bonnie gave him a confused look. Harry decided not to mention _everything _that had happened with Damon but he supposed he could say this.

"Damon and I had _quite _the conversation in the kitchen at that dinner of yours, Elena. They both dated her and she played with both of them. Then she died. In a fire. That's why they basically want to kill each other," Harry said, flatly and Elena looked absolutely horrified at that one.

"Yeah, they both dated her, but before she died, she chose Damon. And that drove Stefan mad, he did horrible things to try and break them up. He manipulated Katherine. He filled her head with all these lies until finally it worked, and she turned against Damon," Bonnie murmured and Elena didn't look too impressed with all of that, almost as if she couldn't possibly believe it.

"That sounds like one person's side of the story, meaning Damon's."

"I have to admit…that's an accurate deduction. I may not like Stefan but doesn't he have a say in what happened?" Harry questioned and Bonnie rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"That's what she told me. I just wanted you to know," Bonnie sighed.

"Anyway, his past relationships are none of my business," Elena said, annoyed at Bonnie's meddling and Harry knew that he would be pretty annoyed too if Bonnie had done that to him.

"Unless he's a calculating, manipulative liar. That is your business."

"I concede that point," Harry said, supporting Bonnie and Elena glared at them both.

"Stefan is none of those things," she said, sounding rather firm in her decision to trust him.

Harry snorted and both girls looked at him in complete shock at his sudden cynicism.

"Yeah? Are you sure about that?"

Elena didn't answer, obviously unnerved by Harry when he had been nothing but a neutral party before. Harry was simply annoyed as the way Bonnie had phrased that had reminded him starkly of the other Salvatore brother.

Same family, same blood, same…_vampirism_.

"Yeah…didn't think so."

He wouldn't be surprised if they stared that same 'calculating, manipulative liar' streak either.

They seemed to share everything else.

0o0

Stefan sat down, happy to have _one_ moment of peace when that was completely ruined by his older brother, strutting in completely shirtless. Stefan rolled his eyes at his brother's show despite the fact that it was only _him _there to see it. Damon stood in front of the mirror and Stefan resisted the urge to make a snide comment about him practicing flexes for his _Lolita_.

"Do they still wear ties at this thing?"

"Why are you even going?" Stefan asked, deciding to humor his stupid, foolish, _homicidal _older brother.

"It's only fitting. We were at the very first one, remember?" Damon said, reminding him when it was essentially unnecessary to do so.

As if Stefan could ever forget.

"I think it's better if we don't draw attention to ourselves," Stefan said, simply not willing to humor his brother because he truly didn't care what smart ass remark that his brother wanted to say.

"So you should stay here. I'll see to it that Harry and Elena have a good time. Maybe they're even open to a threesome. You know…that's an intriguing idea. I was joking but now…Elena has Katherine's looks, Harry has her passion…" Damon said, baiting Stefan and the man glared at him in anger and annoyance.

Damon's smart-ass remarks were slowly getting hornier and more annoying. Stefan _briefly _contemplated drinking human blood just to kick Damon's ass for saying rude remarks about his girlfriend.

"Shut up, Damon," snapped Stefan as that was the only thing he could settle for at the moment and Damon simply rolled his eyes.

"My goodness, I've driven you to drink," Damon said, half-amused.

"Can't seem to rid myself of you. What else am I supposed to do, besides go about living my life?" Stefan asked, annoyed though he kept his tone bland as he knew his brother thought him to be boring and studious and just a dork in general.

"Go about living my life. See, therein lies your eternal struggle. You're dead, dude. Get over it," Damon said and Stefan looked at him with faint surprise.

Damon had never said anything quite so simplistically. He liked to hide behind bravado and just sheer pigheadedness. Though Stefan was sure that Damon had said the words just to be a jerk, he couldn't help but feel a little…surer after he had said that. It helped him, just a little.

Even though he'd _never _let Damon know that.

Stefan watched as Damon lifted a shirt to his chest.

"What do you think?" Damon asked.

Stefan was itching to say something snide again.

Something like 'Does it look like I care?'

:::

**A/N: **Hi! I'm sorry. It has been a while. So I watched Vampire Diaries last night and I couldn't help but notice that Klaus is freaking amazing and freaking perfect. So...I was wondering if I should have Damon and Klaus fight over Harry. I'm kind of tired of the Stefan/Elena/Damon dynamic that the show is having. It's getting old. Mostly because Stefan's heart is just not in it anymore. I'm a Delena fan but for this story, it's Stefan/Elena all the way.

So, I just wanted to run the idea by you.

What do you think?


	4. Part IV

**Title: **Nightfall

**Pairing: **HP/DS, EG/SS, others from canons

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Vampire Diaries nor do I own Harry Potter.

**Note: **This came to me after I was watching Vampire Diaries for the umpteenth time. While I was doing that, I was on deviantart and I came across a picture that intrigued me to the point that I just had to get _something _out.

Anyway, this starts at Season 1 Episode 3 because I need canon to be shot to hell as soon as possible. Well…sort of shot to hell.

And in this chapter, I've…changed canon a bit for Harry Potter, as well. I wasn't going to except for the whole EWE thing but I definitely am now. Anyway, we'll just be getting on with the story.

Nightfall

By: Sistersgrimmlover

**Part IV:**

"_Got balls of steel_

_Got an automobile for a minimum wage_

_Got real estate, I'm buying it all up in outer space_

_Now that the truth is just a rule that you can bend_

_You crack the whip_

_Shape-shift and trick_

_The past again_"

_-Black Sheep, Metric_

Harry jerked when he heard the phone ringing. He was sitting on Elena's bed as her and Bonnie did their make-up and hair. He had been contemplating why they needed to take so _long _but he knew better than to ask. Hermione always got pissed when he asked. He blinked when he realized that she'd be here soon with his beloved car.

"I'll get it," Elena said as she walked over to the phone and picked it up, bringing it to her ear slowly.

"Hello? Hi, Mrs. Lockwood. What do you mean? It is? Are you sure? 'Cause I saw it. Let me check. Mm-Hmm. I will find it and bring it. Ok. Bye," Elena said and by the end of the entire conversation she sounded less than impressed with this Mrs. Lockwood character.

She stood up and stormed out of the room.

"What's wrong?" Bonnie asked as she left the room but Elena didn't answer.

Harry stood, reluctantly and made a gesture so that Bonnie knew to follow him. They walked nearly silently to the confrontation that Harry knew would take place. He looked into Jeremy's room just behind Elena, Bonnie just about level with him. She was slightly taller by about .5 inches.

Elena stormed in and knocked the headphones right off of Jeremy's head. Harry resisted the urge to burst into a loud round of laughter.

"Ahh! God, what now?" Jeremy snapped, grumpily.

"The pocket watch. Where is it?" Elena demanded, angrily and she glared down at him with a very 'Mrs. Weasley'-ish look on her face.

Harry didn't like her so much when he compared her to _that _harpy.

"What watch?" Jeremy stammered.

"The one you stole from mom's box. Look, Mrs Lockwood just called me, freaking out. It was on the list, Jeremy. And she can't find it, and she thinks she's the one who lost it," Elena said, sharply and her tone full of disappointment that Harry honestly didn't think Jeremy deserved.

"Maybe she did. Maybe Tyler took it," Jeremy said, nonchalantly.

"Don't even play that card. Jeremy, you took it. If I go online, am I going to find it on ebay? Is that how you pay for your pot?" Elena accused and Harry's eyes widened and he felt himself stepping forward and his hero complex working quickly.

"Whoa…enough with the accusations, Elena. You're going to upset him. That's not how you get an answer from someone," Harry chastised and Elena's eyes flashed at the shorter teenager attempted to tell her what to do.

"I'm his sister. I'll deal with him. Now, tell me, Jeremy. Will I find it online like you said this morning?" Elena snarled and Jeremy glared at her with fury etched into every little line upon his face.

"Screw you. I would never sell this, ok?" Jeremy hissed and he pushed past Elena and knelt down next to drawer, fiddling with it before he pulled out the 'missing' pocket watch and nearly threw it into Elena's hands.

"Then why did you take it?" Elena demanded.

Harry knew that Elena wouldn't _ever _understand why the pocket watch meant so much to Jeremy but he could. He could definitely imagine in it and he slid his hand into his pocket, brushing his fingers over the Black Pocket Watch.

"Because it's supposed to be mine. Dad said it goes to the firstborn son. His father gave it to him, and now what?" Jeremy demanded and Elena looked at him with sadness in her eyes and Harry shook his head in slight disgust.

She acted as if she understood but she didn't.

"And he was going to give it to you," she said this gently.

"Yeah."

" Look, Jeremy, it's still yours, ok? Mom promised Mrs. Lockwood. What do you want me to do?" Elena asked and Harry knew what she could do.

She could say 'no'.

"Just take it and get out," Jeremy said, resigned when he found that Elena wasn't going to do what he wanted her to do.

Elena turned to look at Bonnie and Harry as Jeremy put his headphones back on. Harry cleared his throat and bit his lip. He touched Elena's arm and she looked at him, imploringly.

"Let me talk to him, Elena. I think…I think I get it. More than you at least. He wants…_needs _to feel connected to his dad. And that…you're taking it away and giving it to the mother of the guy he hates most right now," Harry whispered and Elena looked shocked at his words.

Bonnie, on the other hand, could easily maneuver Elena out of the room so that Harry and Jeremy could talk. Harry sat down next to Jeremy on the bed, finding the entire situation awkward. But, he couldn't let this go. No matter how awkward it was.

"Um…Jeremy?"

Jeremy looked over at Harry and raised an eyebrow before pulling the headphones off.

"Yeah?"

"I get what you're saying. Your sister's being…a bitch. I know. She's controlling and too…motherly. I get it. Hermione's like that too. Well…she was. I went through a bit of a…rough patch too," Harry said and Jeremy turned to look at Harry more fully, obvious curious as Harry was such a straight guy.

Yeah, right.

"Did you?"

"Yeah. After the terrorist that killed my parents was…killed. I…I went a little crazy. I partied until the crack of dawn. Got so drunk that I had to go to the hospital once. I had alcohol poisoning. I never went as far as drugs but…I realized later that I _wasn't _having fun. I was trying to be normal and I thought that was what normal was," Harry explained.

As an after thought he added, "It isn't."

Harry stood and began to walk away before Jeremy could even come up with a counterargument. Harry stopped in the doorway and looked over his shoulder with a slight smile on his face.

"Hermione is going to be my date to the party. I'd be much obliged if you came and kept her occupied. She seems to think you're in dire need of a friend. I'm inclined to agree."

0o0

Harry watched as Elena frowned at the pocket watch that sat on the sink in her loo. He crossed his arms, acknowledging that he'd have to get back to the house soon so that he'd be able to be ready at a decent time.

"Elena…" Harry murmured.

The girl looked up at him, wide-eyed.

"I think…I…" Elena muttered before she snatched up the pocket watch and marched out of the room, heading not towards the stairs but Jeremy's room.

Harry smiled.

0o0

"Caroline! You look smashing."

Caroline tiptoed forward and leaned in to kiss Mrs. Lockwood's cheek. Damon rolled his eyes at the prissy attitude. But, it wasn't much worst than the whole curtsey/bow thing that he used to have to deal with. He supposed he could deal with this…

"Thank you, Mrs. Lockwood. This is my boyfriend Damon," Caroline said, sounding so damn proud of her self.

Mrs. Lockwood gave him a 'come hither' look and a slight smile. She stepped aside, putting on her best hostess face, however. She gestured, holding the flute of champagne in her hand.

"Oh, well, come on in," she said.

Damon stepped inside, a slight smirk upon his face as he was allowed entrance to _another _house full of blood bags. Oh, he could eat well if he truly wanted to but he deemed this wasn't the best time for a massacre. There would be plenty more time once he freed his Katherine.

"Lovely to meet you. I've been looking forward to this party for quite a while," Damon said, hoping to lay it on thick and Mrs. Lockwood took the bait with a smile and she nodded in understanding.

"Well, enjoy," Mrs. Lockwood said, gesturing for them to enter and Damon led Caroline inside.

Caroline stopped, suddenly. Damon followed her line of sight and he raised an eyebrow as he saw a thicker woman that looked a bit like Caroline. She was dressed in a uniform, that led Damon to believe that this was Caroline's mother…Sherriff Forbes.

"Wait here."

Caroline sauntered away and Damon rolled his eyes as he watched her walk away. He wasn't going to wait here like a loser. Then…he spotted his calling.

Ah…a bar.

0o0

Damon's eyes scanned the crowd as it became darker and darker. He knew that Elena and Stefan had arrived. Elena was being a little social butterfly in her sunset dress that really did compliment her eyes. It was nothing like what Katherine would have worn but…she did look _exceptional_.

Caroline was clinging to his side as he took another sip of beer. She was chattering on and on about something or the other. Damon almost smirked when he realized that she thought he was actually _listening_. His little blood bank couldn't be any _cuter_…

And then…he saw him…

He stood in the doorway, all eyes on him and his sister.

Hair the color of a raven was artfully tousled, like he had just rolled out of his bed. Green eyes sparkled without glasses and his eyes seemed to be lined with eyeliner, giving his eyes a cat-like appearance. His legs were clad in leather pants, making them look slimmer and longer. He wore a mesh black top underneath his black French army jacket. A silver cross hung from around his neck.

His sister looked good as well, of course. It was obvious that they had dressed to match.

Her dark green elbow-length shirt over-lapped a black tank top. Over baggy leather pants she wore a crazy print skirt that was actually pulled off. Her eye make-up was darker and she looked almost uncomfortable.

So…Harry had dressed them, eh?

Damon noticed that all eyes were on the newcomers and Mrs. Lockwood actually looked stunned. Harry tilted his head as he looked at Mrs. Lockwood. She approached the duo, slowly with confusion on her face.

"Hello, and you are?"

"Harry Noir. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Lockwood," Harry murmured in his delicious accent and he bowed, brushing a kiss on Mrs. Lockwood's hand. Mrs. Lockwood blushed as Harry stood again with the tilt of head. He gave a charming smile and Damon couldn't help but be amused.

He was shorter than Mrs. Lockwood by at least four inches.

"And this is my delightful sister, Hermione Noir," Harry said, sending a smirk at his sister and Hermione extended her hand.

Mrs. Lockwood took it and she seemed surprised. It seemed that Miss Mione had a firm grip.

"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am. This is a delightful home you have. We just moved here about a week or two ago," Hermione said.

Mrs. Lockwood nodded, stunned.

"Well…it's nice to meet you too."

Harry nodded and he pulled his sister from the door and into the whispering masses. Caroline finally noticed that Damon was _not _listening to her and she followed his line of sight. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Harry Noir walked with his sister towards Elena and Stefan. Damon frowned and he leaned in, brushing his lips against Caroline's neck. Caroline stiffened at the threat.

"Caroline, darling, you think you can distract Harry's sister, my brother, and Elena, for me?" Damon murmured against the column of her neck.

"What about…Harry?" Caroline asked, the anger in her voice just below the surface.

Damon ignored it.

"I'll take care of the Lolita."

0o0

"Elena, hi!" Harry said, a smile of relief on his face when he finally came up to the only two people he recognized at the party.

Both Stefan and Elena turned to look at him. Harry could feel his sister stiffen behind him and he knew that she had her wand strapped to her thigh…she was a little insane like that, unfortunately. But, he had his own wand in his pocket, as well, so he couldn't quite judge.

"Harry, hi. Hermione, this is Stefan…but I'm sure you remember him from earlier, yeah?" Elena asked and Hermione nodded, stiffly as she eyed Stefan suspiciously.

"Yes…I do. Hey, Elena, is your brother here, by chance?" Hermione asked and Elena looked honestly surprised by the question and she looked around, briefly, attempting to find an answer to Hermione's question.

"Um…no…I don't think he's coming," Elena said, apologetically and Harry grinned.

"I do. I…_perhaps_…told him that, maybe, Hermione'll need a dance partner."

Hermione flushed and she punched her brother in the arm. Stefan was shocked to see that Harry didn't even sway despite the fact that Hermione was much taller than him, thus heavier and stronger. He tilted his head as he looked down at the strange boy.

"Harry," Hermione hissed at him and Harry smiled.

"Why don't you go look for him? I'm sure I'll be fine without a bodyguard. I did just as you told me. I think I can take care of myself. We're not in England anymore," Harry said, softly and Hermione gave him a look that Stefan couldn't easily decipher but it seemed to be a warning of sorts.

"Harry…"

"Don't 'Harry' me. Go get a drink, Hermione. You need one," Harry advised and Hermione gave a slight smile before giving him a more serious look of warning.

"You'll be careful, right?"

"Hermione, I don't think I'm going to find any danger from terrorists in Mystic Falls and I can take care of myself. I'm old enough," Harry said, coolly and Hermione nodded before walking away.

She glanced over her shoulder but Harry had already turned back to Elena and Stefan. Elena looked confused by the whole mini-argument and Harry smiled, shaking his head. He was attempting to placate her. He didn't need her asking too many questions.

"Are you and your…sister fighting?" Stefan asked, almost sounding concerned and Harry was honestly surprised.

"Er…no. She's just very protective. But, enough about 'Mione. What is it that you're looking at over here?" Harry asked with blatant curiosity and Elena pointed at what looked like a very old piece of parchment with scribbles on it.

" 'Founding Families of Mystic Falls welcomes you to the inaugural Founders Council celebration'," Harry read, dutifully and Elena's eyes widened and she gave a slight smile to her almost detached sort-of boyfriend.

Harry couldn't quite understand how she had fallen so hard for the brooding vampire. He was attractive, yes, but Harry just couldn't see the appeal. He was so superhero-ish and his hair just pissed Harry off for some reason.

"Wow, look. It's the original guest registry," Elena said though she awarded Stefan with a shy smile.

"Look at all these familiar names," she said and Stefan tensed, his lips parting as her eyes began to scan the list.

Harry knew what she would find and he wondered how she was react. Would she think it was a coincidence or would she be suspicious? Harry didn't know Elena very well but she didn't seem the kind of girl that let things go away so easily, especially with the shifty way that Stefan was currently acting.

"Sheriff William Forbes. Mayor Benjamin Lockwood…is that Damon Salvatore?" Elena questioned, looking up with a frown and wide eyes, a strange smile upon her face and Harry looked at her, solemnly.

Stefan moved forward, as if he was surprised that it was there.

"And Stefan Salvatore?" Elena asked, looking more than a little confused now and she looked ready to confront Stefan when a shadow emerged over Harry's slight frame.

"The original Salvatore brothers," said a sly and velvety voice that made the hair on the back of Harry's neck stand straight up.

Stefan and Elena spun around and stared at Damon. Harry turned, slowly and looked up at the man whom seemed to only have eyes for him. Emerald eyes met sapphire and Harry was frozen as he watched the man stare him down. Lust clouded his eyes but as he shifted to look at Elena, it was quickly hidden by a strange glimmer.

"Our ancestors," Damon explained and Harry fought to hide a smirk.

They were good at hiding their secrets…but Harry was better.

"Were they? I thought you and your brother were new in town. Funny how you're…not," Harry said, his tongue caressing the words and brushing across his white teeth.

Damon's eyes narrowed on him before he glanced back up to Stefan and Elena.

"Yes, well. It seems our family's cursed…it's a tragic story, really," Damon said, off-handedly and Harry just wanted to applaud the man because he was such a _skilled _liar, almost better than himself.

"We don't need to bore them with stories of the past," Stefan said, carefully.

In kind, both Elena and Harry answered at the same time with, "I don't find it boring."

They exchanged smiles before looking back at both Salvatores. Damon looked pleased but Stefan's brooding face went from cloudy to stormy with a chance of lightening, thunder, _and _hail. Obviously, there was something there that he didn't want known and Harry thought that it might be a bit more than what Bonnie was saying…

"Stefan…I'd love to hear more about your family," Elena said and Stefan looked at her, reluctantly.

Damon nodded, enthusiastically.

"Yes, why don't you go tell her more over dinner, yes? That's an idea," Damon said, smoothly and Elena nodded in agreement though Harry's eyes widened as he quickly worked out what Damon's real plan was.

He wanted to get him alone…

"Yes, I'd love to hear more too," Harry interjected and Elena didn't look deterred by the fact that Harry was going to join them.

Damon frowned.

"I'll give you a private tour of the artifacts. The two lovebirds look like they haven't had a private moment in forever with the way Stefan is frowning. We'll leave you two at it. If dinner's not an option, perhaps a whirl around the dance floor will loosen Stefan up," Damon said, firmly and Elena's eyes widened as she turned to look at Stefan.

"You dance?" she asked, as if it were inconceivable and there was no possible way that she could imagine it.

To be honest, Harry was surprised to.

"No."

Harry snorted at the blunt answer.

Elena looked crestfallen and she looked away before sighing, shaking her head.

"I'm hungry, I suppose. I'll go get something to eat…" Elena said and she looked over to Stefan, debating whether she should stay with him or leave.

She walked away, not letting Stefan stop her from getting what she wanted. Stefan's eyes widened and he glanced between Harry and Elena before giving Harry a sympathetic and apologetic look. He followed after her and Harry turned to Damon, eyes narrowed.

"So…you got me alone. What do you want, Damon?" Harry asked, coldly and Damon's eyes widened and he put his hands up in a mock surrender.

"Lolita, you're so cold…I just wanted to apologize for being such a…world-class jerk. The other night when I kissed you…I'm really sorry," Damon apologized and he looked up through his thick eyelashes and giving him a sincere look that Harry almost melted under.

"My therapist said I'm acting out, trying to punish Stefan."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, well, I don't believe you. You're a fake and a liar and you tried to force yourself on me. I got enough of that back home, thank you very much. So you can take your false apology and your gorgeous arse out of here because I don't want to talk to you," Harry snarled, not quite noticing what he was saying but it seemed that Damon did for he was now towering over Harry.

Harry pressed his back against the wall and looked around. He cursed under his breath when he noticed that they were in a dark and secluded corner. He _always _got into this situations with Damon in dark, secluded corners. The man was smirking down at him, bright eyes boring into his own.

"You think my…arse is gorgeous?" Damon asked, his low voice sending shivers down Harry's spine.

The boy sneered.

"Did I say 'gorgeous'? My mistake," Harry said, flatly and Damon leaned forward until they were only a breath apart.

"So you _did _feel something? I wasn't making assumptions."

"Oh, you made assumptions alright. You made an arse out of yourself," Harry countered and Damon frowned.

"Isn't it 'make an ass out of you and me'?" Damon asked with a raised eyebrow and Harry leaned forward, a smug look upon his face and he pursed his lips, sultry.

"No…just out of you. Look, Damon, what is it that you really _want_ from me?" Harry demanded and Damon blinked before tilting his head.

"Do you want me to be honest?"

"Sure. Honesty would be a nice change," Harry retorted and Damon's lips quirked into a quick smile befor he looked down at Harry, an uncharacteristically serious look upon his handsome face.

Damon leaned down, pressing his lips to Harry's ear.

"I want you underneath me, writhing in pleasure and screaming my name…over and over and…over," he whispered and Harry flushed, pink spreading across his face as Damon caressed the lobe of his ear with his tongue, nipping at it and he trailed his lips down the side of Harry's face before pulling away completely to stare down at him.

Harry swallowed, trying to gather his wits. He tried to ignore the fact that the places where Damon's lips had been burned, fiercely with a strange heat.

"Why…why is it that you're trying so hard to…why are you doing this?" Harry asked, stammering over his words and Damon seemed pleased that he could cause such a reaction out of the cool and sarcastic boy.

"What do you expect out of me? I'm a man with a _very _healthy libido. What am I supposed to do when you walk in here in tight leather pants—" Damon ran his hand over Harry's leather covered thigh and squeezed—"And a sheer top…you look good enough to…eat."

Harry's eyes narrowed at the verb and he pushed away from Damon with narrowed and suspicious eyes. He shifted in his boots, feeling his wand against his foot. The magic in his wand thrummed, reassuring him and giving him courage. Harry swallowed and he glared up at Damon. The man's eyes were dilated and he seemed to be almost lost in some kind of fantasy of sorts.

"Damon…get away from me. Stay away from me. Leave me alone. Just…leave me alone. Leave me _and _my friends alone! I don't want to deal with your bull."

And with that, Harry fled.

0o0

"Well, well, well. Look who showed up?" Hermione said with a slight smile upon her face as she looked up at the vaguely uncomfortable Jeremy Gilbert.

He tugged at the tie around his neck and he crossed his arms, staring down at her with an expressionless dace. Hermione stood up and transformed her teasing smile into a reassuring one. He relaxed a tiny bit and that was good and all for her. This would be easier if he were comfortable with her.

"Yeah…Harry said you'd need…a dance partner…"

Hermione nodded, encouragingly.

"Yes, that's an accurate assessment. I'm not sure where he is at the moment. He abandoned me to go find Elena but now that Elena is here with Stefan…" Hermione said and he gestured to the dining couple before giving a shrug.

She gestured to seat next to her at the bar and Jeremy took the seat. He reached into his pocket, fiddling with a gorgeous old-time pocket watch that looked reminiscent to the old pocket watch that Harry had gotten from his Potter vault. Hermione leaned forward, intrigued and her eyes widened at the simplistic beauty of it.

"Oh, that's beautiful. Where did you get _that_?" she asked and Jeremy jolted before looking up, shyly at her.

"I got it from my dad. The firstborn son inherits it every generation," Jeremy explained and Hermione nodded, emphatically.

"Yes. Harry has one as well. He got it from his father. Apparently, it has a very important story to it. It's been in his family for a really long time," Hermione said, her enthusiasm showing brightly on her face and Jermey frowned, suddenly.

"I thought he was an orphan."

Hermione blinked and she refused to let the enthusiasm fade from her face. It would inspire even more confusion and questions and she couldn't have that. Not now that Harry had made friends. Hermione didn't mind not having friends as she had gotten along well enough with most students in Hogwarts, mostly Gryffindors and some Ravenclaws, but Harry…Harry had never had any friends beyond her and sometimes-Ron. This was good for him…

"Oh, well, when he was given to his family, it was part of the trust fund that his parents left—"

"I need a drink! Now!" announced a very familiar voice and Hermione gave a quiet sigh of relief and she glanced at Jeremy whom now seemed properly distracted by the production Harry was making.

Hermione looked at her charge-slash-brother-slash-best friend and he seemed frazzled and almost little flushed. Which meant only one thing…

Harry had either been angry or _turned on _by something.

Or someone.

"What would like? Martini?" the bartender asked, not even questioning Harry's age or small stature.

"No. Whisky."

The bartender did a double take before hesitantly setting a shot in front of Harry. Harry downed the shot in seconds. Both the bartender and Jeremy's eyes widened in shock. Jeremy glanced at Hermione.

"I hear smaller people get drunk faster…"

"Boy, I can hold my liquor, thank you very much," Harry said, snippy and Hermione frowned before turning to him, giving Jeremy a pleading look that he returned with an understanding one.

"Harry…what is it?" Hermione murmured.

Harry's eyes narrowed at the question.

"Later. I'll tell you later because I _swear_ if I start talking about it now, I'll be ranting for hours and we can't have that, now can we?" Harry asked, his tone snarky and Hermione gave him a considerate look before rubbing his shoulder in a comforting move that he took rather well.

"All right…may I have two beers?" Hermione asked and the bartender placed both in front of Hermione in seconds.

The bushy-haired woman pushed one to Jeremy who grinned.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Harry blinked when he realized that Jeremy was sitting there and he turned to him with a grin upon his face.

"So, you decided to show up?"

Jeremy took a looked swig of beer before nodding.

"Yeah. I decided to come."

"That's good…that's good. Why don't you take her for a whirl on the dance floor before she's too drunk to walk straight?" Harry suggested and Hermione flushed in embarrassment, giving Harry a venomous look.

"Harry…" she hissed.

Jeremy grinned.

"She can't hold her drink?"

"Absolutely not."

"Then, come on. Lets dance," Jeremy said, walking towards the dance floor and beckoning Hermione to come towards him.

The woman was still pink and she gave Harry a dangerous look. Harry grinned.

"You're welcome."

Hermione huffed before giving Jeremy a gracious smile and following him onto the dance floor. Harry sighed and relaxed into the bar, resting his head on the palm of his hand.

"Another shot of whisky, please."

"Harry?"

Harry looked up at the young woman and he smiled at her.

"You look beautiful, Bonnie. If I were straight, I'd ravish you."

Bonnie's mouth fell open and she laughed, quietly as she walked towards him and sat down. Harry grinned at her before he fell back into his distressed state. Bonnie's eyes widened and she frowned at her friend.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"Damon Salvatore is what's wrong."

Bonnie frowned.

"Damon? What did he do?" Bonnie asked in confusion and Harry pressed his cheek into the hard marble of the bar before he looked up and shook his head.

"He was being…Damon. And I'm quickly not liking it."

0o0

"He's a great dancer, you know. And he's such a gentleman. He bowed to me and everything after it was finished. He almost seemed surprised that he had even done so, which is kind of strange but…" Elena said, cheerfully as she talked about Stefan and Caroline dutifully nodded as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"It looked like it. Damon is an excellent dancer too. We danced before you two came," Caroline said, her tone strange and Elena frowned in slight confusion as she looked at the girl.

She simply stared at the girl, trying to understand what was going through Caroline's head at that moment. She was always going strange lately, saying things that weren't very Caroline. And it was beginning to bother Elena.

Elena watched as Caroline re-applied her lip-gloss.

And then she saw it.

Elena frowned and she leaned forward.

"What is that?" Elena asked, leaning forward to get a better look at Caroline's shoulder underneath her crocheted shrug.

She moved to pull it down.

"Don't," Caroline said, shrugging away from Elena and Elena's eyes widened when she saw something else higher up and just underneath Caroline's scarf.

Elena pulled at the powder blue strip of cloth, moving upwards. She gasped in horror at the grotesque sight that she saw. There, imprinted deeply into Caroline's skin was the perfect cast of teeth marks, marring her porcelain skin. It was angry and surrounded by purple, almost like a bruise but so much worst.

"Caroline! What happened?" Elena asked, frantically and Caroline flinched away.

"Nothing, okay!" she said, defensively but Elena pushed on, beyond worried over her friend's safety.

"That is _no_t nothing! Did someone hurt you?" Elena demanded, angry on her friend's behalf.

Her friend, her _best _friend, had been _bitten _by someone. And it had been hard enough to leave a permanent mark. It wasn't bleeding but it was still there and it was deeply disturbing the girl. She had been _hurt _by someone.

"No! Nothing. It's just…my mom would kill me," Caroline finished with a mutter, turning away from Elena and looking back into the mirror as if nothing had just happened.

Elena's eyes widened as something dawned on her. She pulled away Caroline's shrug and stared at a nearly identical bite and bruise mark.

"Did Damon hurt you?" Elena gasped and Caroline turned ashen.

"No! Of course not! Just leave me alone, ok, Elena?" Caroline shouted and Elena took a step back, shocked at Caroline's behavior as the blonde woman ran from the room.

Elena walked from the bathroom, in utter shock. She frowned when she realized that it _was _Damon. She stormed past the bar, alerting Harry whom was currently nursing a whiskey. Harry stood, quickly as he felt how distressed Elena was and he grabbed her arm, eyes wide. Elena whipped towards him, brunette hair flying. Her eyes were wild.

"Elena! Elena…calm down. What's wrong?" Harry asked, his own eyes wide and Elena shook her head, frantically.

"Damon…Damon's hurting Caroline. There are bruises and…and bite marks all over her body. I…oh my God," Elena whispered, almost going into panic attack as Harry turned pale with fury and his hands clenched.

Harry didn't like Caroline but to take advantage of a _human _like that was...unforgivable.

"Come on, Elena. We're going to have a…chat with Damon," Harry said and at the mention of Damon from another person, Elena felt fury once more.

She nodded, firmly and the two stalked outside and towards Damon whom was standing there as if he didn't have a care in the world. Harry felt fury push him on as his hero complex kicked in and he stormed up to Damon, giving him a powerful shove that actually knocked Damon back a few steps. The man looked suitably shocked, not only by Harry's violence but the fact that Harry could actually move him.

"God, Damon! What the fuck is _wrong _with you? I told you leave me alone! I told you leave my friends alone! You're careless to let me find out. You stay away from Caroline and if you _bite _her one more time…I will _end _you. Stay away from her," Harry hissed, angrily and Damon stared at him, wide-eyed and shocked by all the things that Harry had revealed with that one angry proclamation.

Elena turned away, filled with disgust. She blinked when she was met with Stefan's chest. He slowly guided Elena away from Harry and Damon to the fountain. She went willingly.

"What did he do now?" Stefan murmured.

"There are bruises all over Caroline's body. Bite marks, and he has her all confused and messed up in the head…" Elena trailed off as she looked at Stefan, clearly before continuing with, "you don't look surprised."

Stefan looked at her with a slightly guilty expression before he looked away, as if trying to find anything but her to look at. Elena crossed her arms, giving him an expectant look. He sighed and looked down at her, resigned.

"Um... I'm handling it."

Elena's face flushed in anger.

"Handling it? Stefan, you should be having him arrested," Elena said, with tears in her eyes and Stefan looked even more reluctant with a frown.

"Elena, please. I... I don't expect you to understand."

"I don't understand anything, Stefan. So why don't you just clear it up for me?" Elena challenged, her eyes watery and one hand on her hip as she waited for Stefan to answer.

He gave a long winded sigh instead.

"Look, there are things that you don't know, ok? Things that I want to tell you, but I can't. And I may never be able to. And I just need you to trust me," Stefan said, his gloomy eyes wide with a plea that he couldn't quite say aloud though Elena ignored it easily enough, unknowing that she was about to enter something detrimental to her life.

"Trust is earned. I can't just magically hand it over," she said, almost reluctant.

Stefan frowned before shaking his head. He looked over Elena's shoulder for just a moment though the distraught woman didn't notice.

"I'm so sorry. I have to go," Stefan murmured, walking past her and leaving Elena there.

0o0

She couldn't understand Hermione Noir.

"Jeremy! I'm getting kind of dizzy…"

Vicki watched with solemn eyes as Jeremy grinned as he spun the British woman. The American woman watched in slight jealous and she looked away, almost humiliated by the fact that she had been replaced by. Vicki couldn't understand it at all.

Hermione Noir was a mystery to everyone in their senior class and she wasn't afraid to be called out on associating with younger kids. She came to the Mystic Grill every night with a book and had one beer before being picked up by younger brother in a gorgeous car. Vicki couldn't understand how _anyone _found that hot but a lot of the guys, including _Tyler_ found it to be so.

Vicki knew that the girl was tough from the way she broke up Tyler and Jeremy's fight but still…she couldn't understand.

She couldn't understand how a smart girl like Hermione Noir would want some little sixteen-year-old drug addict that was going nowhere.

0o0

"Don't!" Caroline cried out in protest as Damon yanked her roughly across the grounds, pure fury in his eyes.

"She took it off and I got flustered, ok? I didn't know what to say. But I swear, ok, I did not tell her. I just told her that you didn't mean to hurt me. I didn't know…I didn't know he was going to get involved," Caroline pleaded, as Damon towered over her, his eyes wide and his body absolutely motionless.

His rage flowed off of him in waves and he seemed like he was barely able to restrain himself from destroying her where she stood. She was ruining everything…she was too…faulty. He circled around her, ever the predator. Hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her back into his chest.

"You make me crazy, you know that? I gave you one job…he's angry at me now. It's not okay. But, I forgive you…" Damon murmured, masking his anger under soft tones and Caroline squirmed.

"I swear I didn't say—" she whispered.

"Shh, shh, shh. Unfortunately... I am so over you now…" Damon said, his hostility slipping out and Caroline froze in terror as Damon reared back before sinking his sharp teeth in her soft and flushed neck.

As he gave a suck and his mouth was washed with blood, something inside him felt paralyzed. His knees buckled as something…something burst through his veins. He could feel it going through him. He fell gracefully to the ground, Caroline still his arms like a doll and he jerked away as he felt it course through him…

Vervain.

"What the hell?" he choked out.

He watched as _he _emerged from the shadows like and overdone Edward Cullen. Damon sneered in disgust despite the fact that he was one the ground.

"I knew, I couldn't spike your drink...so I spiked hers."

And then, Damon's world became darkness.

And from the shadows, emerald green eyes watched with all the patience and vindictiveness in the world.

:::

**A/N: **Sorry this took so long. I'm just...this takes a lot to do. I have to re-watch every episode. But, I think things are heating up. Elena is very ignorant about some things but she knows a lot about Caroline so a lot of things are about change. Harry knows a lot more than Elena and with the way things are going. Vicki is revealed to be not as bitchy as she seems. It's not that she doesn't see how Jeremy sort of has a crush on Hermione. She can't understand why Hermione is humoring him. Yeah, she's a calloused bitch but not a slutty bitch...well she sort of is but that's besides the point.

And another Harry and Damon confrontation. Just as sexual as the one before but with a hint of aggressiveness that will be rather dominant.


	5. Part V

**Title: **Nightfall

**Pairing: **HP/DS, EG/SS, others from canons

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Vampire Diaries nor do I own Harry Potter.

**Note: **This came to me after I was watching Vampire Diaries for the umpteenth time. While I was doing that, I was on deviantart and I came across a picture that intrigued me to the point that I just had to get _something _out.

Anyway, this starts at Season 1 Episode 3 because I need canon to be shot to hell as soon as possible. Well…sort of shot to hell.

And in this chapter, I've…changed canon a bit for Harry Potter, as well. I wasn't going to except for the whole EWE thing but I definitely am now. Anyway, we'll just be getting on with the story.

Nightfall

By: Sistersgrimmlover

**Part V:**

"_It doesn't hurt me._

_You wanna feel how it feels?_

_You wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me?_

_You wanna hear about the deal I'm making?_

_You be running up that hill_

_You and me be running up that hill_"

_Running Up That Hill, Placebo_

"Thank you for staying so late," Mayor Lockwood of Mystic Falls said, calmly as he looked entered the room full of Council members that looked rather on edge.

"Did you get the Gilbert watch?" Sheriff Forbes asked, her expression one of exhaustion and worry and they all had a right to be worried because without that watch…well, it wasn't going to end well.

"She claims it's packed away in her parents' things," Mrs. Lockwood sighed, and the Council members' faces fell as they all processed the small tidbit of information.

Mrs. Lockwood leaned forward, smoothing down her yellow and white frock as she looked up at her husband, searching the mayor for answers. He looked away. He didn't have any answers to give her and he sighed, resignedly.

"I can get it."

Mayor Lockwood looked at Logan Fell, sharply, and he frowned. Logan was still young and Mayor Lockwood couldn't even fathom _how _Logan could get the watch unless he broke into the Gilbert home. Before he could voice his doubt, Sheriff Forbes spoke up.

"Good. We're going to need it."

"Are you sure?" Mayor Lockwood asked, speaking of Logan's skills but Sheriff Forbes seemed to think that he was questioning something else.

"Five bodies all drained of blood? I'm certain."

Logan looked at him, his expression firm. "They've come back."

0o0

Stefan watched silently as his brother came to. His eyes drifted over his body, taking in the sweat rolling down his elder brother's face. The lines that were developing on his face had nothing to do with tiredness. He sighed, shaking his head, sadly.

"Where…is…my ring?" Damon croaked and Stefan swallowed, hard as he examined the man he had once looked up to, a hundred years ago.

"Won't be needing it anymore," Stefan said, emotionlessly and unmoving as he continued to stare at the man who once had been strong and true but now…was so much less than.

Damon turned his head, weakly and he took a shaky breath that seemed to rattle him. He didn't attempt to sit up, knowing that he wouldn't be able to. Vervain was a powerful sedative that couldn't be easily fought against, if at all. He needed to save his strength, as much as possible.

"How long have I been here?" Damon rasped, barely able to get out the words.

Stefan answered immediately. "Three days."

"What are you doing?" the blue-eyed brother groaned and he grunted in pain as he felt another pang of the vervain pumping through hid blood making its cycle around his beauty, weakening him.

"During the dark ages when a vampire's actions threatened to expose or bring harm upon the entire race, they would face judgment. They sought to reeducate them rather than to punish them," Stefan said, tonelessly and if Damon could, he would have laughed and teased his brother about the impromptu history lesson.

"You know what will happen if I don't...feed on blood."

The words sounded slurred and dim, even to Damon whom had spoken them. His head panged and he felt like he had magically acquired the world's worst hangover. But this, this was so much _worse _than that.

"You'll grow weaker and weaker. Eventually you won't be able to move or speak. In a week your skin will desiccate, and you'll mummify. A living corpse. Unable to hurt anyone. Ever," Stefan said, matter-of-factly and Stefan wondered how he could sound so unfeeling when he felt so much, having to do this to his brother just to protect humans.

Humans who would never acknowledge or _could _acknowledge that he was hurting himself and his brother just to protect them.

"So what, you're just going to leave me in the basement, forever?"

Stefan almost smiled at the snark that was still present in Damon's voice even in his weak state. It was clearly a talent of Damon's.

"I've injected you with enough vervain to keep you weak. Once your circulation stops, I'll move you to the family crypt, and then in 50 years, we can reevaluate," Stefan explained and Damon made a weak attempt at a growl.

"I'm stronger than you think."

"You always have been," Stefan acknowledged and he could because it was true. "But you're not stronger than the vervain. And we both know it. I'm sorry. Didn't have to be this way."

Stefan turned to walk away. He heard Damon attempted to swallow with a dry throat and then he coughed, loudly.

"No…you don't understand…" Damon whispered.

Stefan stopped, surprised that Damon was still able to keep conscious.

"What don't I understand?" Stefan asked, genuinely curious.

"I get what I want…and no amount of vervain will keep me…from what I want. And you…_know_…what I want…"

And though it wasn't a threat, Stefan _knew _it was a promise.

A promise to somehow, someway, get his Lolita.

0o0

Elena groaned and she rolled over into the boy sleeping in the bed next to her. Her eyes opened, slowly and she stared at the sleeping boy next to her. He was so small and pretty and Elena couldn't help but coo under her breath as she looked at him. His hair was wild and compared beautifully with the white of the pillow. His pale skin only made him look even prettier.

The only thing that could make him prettier would be for him to be awake but Elena didn't want to wake up her friend. They still had time before school.

The girl rolled out of bed, leaving him underneath the covers and walking towards the bathroom, ready to get ready for the day. Elena walked towards the bathroom, tired and she opened the door, stopping short at the sight she saw.

Hermione Noir was standing in the bathroom, brushing her teeth. Long brown curls hung down her back in a ponytail. And Elena couldn't help but notice that she was wearing a shirt and pajama pants that looked like they belonged to her younger brother. Elena cleared her throat and bit her lip.

Her mouth fell open.

"Er…I'm sorry. I'm almost done…" Hermione said, quietly and Elena shook her head, shocked.

"Uh…no, take your time. Oh…by the way…your brother's still here…" Elena said, stupidly.

She realized her stupidity two seconds later. Hermione had been the one to drop him off and take his car. Harry had thrown a fit about that one, ranting into the wee hours of the morning while he listened to Elena complain about Stefan. Harry had done his own complaining but about the other Salvatore brother before they had passed out without Harry moving to the air mattress. Elena could still remember the most creative insult.

Arrogant Pygmy Puff.

Whatever _that _was.

"Oh…I know…I brought your brother…home…last night…"

Elena nodded, once more before turning and slamming the door closed. Elena rushed back to her bedroom and she jumped onto the bed, rocking it sharply. Harry shot up, immediately though still groggy. He made a muffled shout before blinking away the tiredness. His hands groped the nightstand before he snatched up his glasses and sliding it on his face.

"What? What the hell?" groaned Harry and he took in Elena whom was kneeling on the bed, wide-eyed.

"Your sister!" she blurted out and Harry frowned.

"Huh?"

"Your sister is in my _bathroom_. In my _brother's _clothes!"

0o0

"I think I got you in trouble…" Hermione said, apologetically as she walked back into Jeremy's room and reclined onto the bed, looking down at the boy from her perch.

He was still lying on the floor, nestled in a pile of blankets. He raised an eyebrow, looking rather confused. He leaned up, running a hand through his hair, tousling it even more. He still looked rather tired but he seemed awake enough to understand that Hermione had done something wrong.

"What did you do?" he asked, curiously.

He sat up and crossed his long legs, staring up at her for an answer.

"Elena saw me brushing my teeth in the loo. I didn't mean for her to see me but…well, she would've seen me _eventually_ but I would have preferred if I could explain properly. I mean, my brother _is _here…" Hermione said and she trailed off when Jeremy gave her a pointed look that seemed to be calling her stupid.

"I'm a drug-using delinquent. We didn't even do anything. And even if we did, troublemaker girl in bed doesn't really rank, sorry."

Hermione sniffed, offended by his insinuation.

"Yes, well. I don't get in bed with drug-users and I'm not one to get in trouble. I was _never _a troublemaker at my old school. Just because I had a beer or two, doesn't make me a troublemaker."

She said this all self-righteously and Jeremy couldn't help but grin at her.

"Liar. We got into plenty of trouble back in Scotland and you know it."

Hermione stiffened and she looked up at the doorway. Harry was leaning against the doorway with a raised eyebrow. He was surveying the scene, assessing what he should say. Hermione stiffened while Jeremy's lips spread into a mischievous smile and he leaned forward, intrigued.

"Did she? Do tell," Jeremy said, softly.

Harry grinned.

"Hmm…_well_…we snuck out late at night all the time. We snuck out to London once too, if I remember correctly. Hermione knocked someone out once just to get us out. And then, she attacked our once best friend once…sixth year, yes?" Harry said, nonchalantly as a wicked grin spread across Jeremy's face as he turned to look at a flushed Hermione Noir.

"Did you really?" Jeremy asked and Hermione glared.

"Yes, well…it was for the greater good and he took it out of context! I did all those things for a good reason!" Hermione said and Jeremy gave her a condescending look, shaking his head with a mock disapproving look on his face.

"Sure, sure."

Harry smirked.

"Yup…so…does anyone want to tell me why my sister is in your room, in your clothes?"

Hermione bit her lip.

"Er…"

0o0

"Jenna!" Elena hissed as she smoothed down her top with wide eyes.

Jenna looked up from the newspaper with wide and confused eyes. She frowned, tilting her head in bewilderment as she took in Elena's distressed position. Jenna looked around, expecting to see Harry behind her but when she didn't find him, she turned back to Elena.

"What?"

"Do you know what's happening upstairs?" Elena said in the same lowered voice.

"Uh…Harry's in the shower?"

"No! Harry's sister is in the bathroom! In Jeremy's _clothes_!" Elena snapped and Jenna's eyes widened before she glanced upwards, as if wishing to see through the ceiling to see if what Elena was saying was true.

But, really the girl had no reason to lie to her so she assumed that Elena was correct and she wasn't seeing things.

"Oh…"

"Don't you have any objections?" Elena asked and Jenna blinked.

"Er…did they have sex?"

Elena winced when she imagined _Hermione _Noir, older, no-nonsense, and strict sister of her crazy and funny new friend, and her _brother _Jeremy Gilbert, resident drug addict having sex. She couldn't imagine the two being compatible. Hermione was so…_Hermione_. Elena saw her in the Grill sometimes, reading _Tolstoy _while downing a Budweiser. Jeremy spent his time getting high behind the bleachers.

Yeah…she couldn't imagine it.

"No, they didn't. Hermione crashed here after she dropped off a bladdered and monged Jeremy Gilbert," Harry explained and Elena frowned in confusion at the foreign terms and Harry seemed to pick up on that.

He coughed.

"Er…drunk and high. She kicked him out of his bed as punishment. He slept on the floor. I saw him there myself just now," Harry said, calmly and he brushed a nonexistent piece of lint from his grey shirt as he got incredulous looks from both Elena and Jenna.

"And you believed them?" Jenna blurted out.

Harry looked up, his green eyes still intense despite the glasses that covered them. His lower lip was stuck up in a slight pout and his eyebrows were knitted together, whether in confusion or annoyance, Elena couldn't tell. She had known him for about a few weeks now, but he was still a mystery.

"I should hope that Hermione's telling the truth. She's not a liar and she doesn't just hop into bed with people. I've known her for a long time. It's like she's incapable of dating or having any type of sexual interaction with someone who is _not _an arrogant athlete or a good two-shoes. Jeremy is neither," Harry said, a hint of amusement in his voice and there was a self-righteous sniff from behind him.

Elena directed her attention to Hermione, who was wearing her jeans from the day before but a shirt that looked like it belonged to Jeremy. It was one of his nicer shirts and was cinched around the waist by a thick belt, which _also _belonged to Jeremy.

"You make me sound like a snob, Harry, which I am not," Hermione said, sharply and Harry shrugged.

"Well, that's debatable. I've heard seniors, mostly girls, call you a snob simply because of your accent and stand-offish attitude," Harry reported and Hermione gave him a dry look before turning towards the door.

"I'm not hungry. Are you?" she asked.

Harry shook his head.

"No particularly. You know my appetite."

Elena was surprised when Hermione actually _glared _at Harry.

"Yes. I do know. Even after all these years, you still eat like a bird."

Harry said nothing, opting to turn away from her and to Jenna.

"Thanks for your hospitality, Jenna. Elena, you want a ride?" Harry asked and Elena nodded.

Hermione frowned.

"What about Jeremy?"

"Oh…he doesn't always show up anyway. He's probably listening to music," Jenna said, sounding resigned and Hermione's eyes flashed and she looked up towards the ceiling.

"Does he?"

"Yeah," Elena confirmed.

Hermione began to march towards the stairs when Harry's arm shot out to block her. She looked at him in surprise and confusion. He looked rather stern, despite the fact that he was looking _up _at her.

"What?" she asked.

"My keys. Where are my keys?"

Hermione turned and pointed to the counter. Harry nodded and he moved his hand, calmly before turning to look at Jenna and Elena. Jenna was smirking and shaking her head as Hermione left.

"What?" Harry asked, curiously.

"Your sister is one tough cookie. I bet she's going to do the impossible. Make Jeremy go to school. Oh, just so you know, I won't be out for dinner," Jenna said, sounding rather sheepish and Harry's eyes widened, as he knew exactly what _that _meant.

Jenna had been the first to complain about her man troubles when he had showed up the day before.

"So, you're going to meet Logan?" Elena asked, a teasing hint in her voice and Jenna gave a slight smile, attempting to mask the pleased look on her face.

"I'm going to show up and torture him, yes. Have you heard from Stefan yet?" Jenna asked, curiously and Harry frowned as Elena pouted, in annoyance.

"Not since that very vague message three days ago. 'Hi, um, Elena, I, um, have something I have to do. I'll, uh, explain in a few days'," Elena said, mocking Stefan with a deep and goofy sounding voice that made Harry laugh and Jenna snort.

"Haven't you called him?" she asked, curiously and Harry snorted.

"Why should she? He's the one that left her there," Harry said, sharply and Elena nodded in agreement.

"So true. Harry's right. I'm not going to call him."

"And you're ok with everything?" Jenna asked, curiously and again Harry snorted while Elena gave a disappointed smile and sighed.

Elena moved to pour herself cereal and milk as she though about how to answer the question. She shoveled Cheerios into her mouth before deciding to answer.

"No, I'm not ok with any of it. But I'm not gonna cry about it, either. You know, I was going to write in my diary this morning and then I thought, what am I going to write? Honestly, I'm not gonna be one of those pathetic girls whose world stops spinning because of some guy," Elena said, firmly and Harry smiled, softly, shaking his head.

"You're very different than most of the girls I know…or used to know," Harry amended and Elena turned to him with a defiant look in her eyes.

"Well, maybe you haven't met the right girls. I'll be fine," she reiterated and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Yeah…you will be."

0o0

She was sitting in front of the large vanity, her long blonde hair brushed onto one shoulder. She could see Bonnie in the reflection, staring at her back without any judgment whatsoever and Caroline sighed as she attempted to remember. But it was just so…_hard_.

"I remember the party. Damon came up behind me, and he was kissing my neck, or biting my neck. I passed out. It's like there's holes in my memory lately. It's just weird. Maybe I let him bite me," Caroline said, the confusion in her voice quite clear and Bonnie frowned at her, bewildered at her statement.

"Why would you do that?" Bonnie asked, sharply and as if she were personally insulted by Caroline's speculation and Caroline shrugged.

"I can't believe Elena confronted him…"

Bonnie blinked.

"It wasn't really Elena. It was Harry," Bonnie said, carefully and Caroline stiffened where she sat though she didn't turn to look at Bonnie.

She began to apply her lip-gloss as casually as possible.

"Why would he do that?" Caroline asked.

Bonnie shrugged.

"I'm not sure but he was really angry. He stormed right up to Damon and pushed him. The man actually stumbled a bit. He started yelling at Damon and everything. He told him to stay away from him or he'd…end him or something like that," Bonnie said and Caroling could hear the hidden respect in her voice.

In all honesty, Caroline didn't know how to react to that news. Harry was an unknown factor in her life and that was mostly because he didn't really like her very much. She knew why.

Damon had practically been dating both of them. Caroline may I have been sleeping with him but she knew that Harry was all Damon would think about when they were having sex. She could faintly remember the strangled name that escaped his lips when he climaxed that was not her own. And though her memory was distorted, she could remember the way Damon's eyes with fill with lust when they flickered onto the beautiful boy.

Harry had been jealous of her for sleeping with Damon and she had been jealous of Harry because…she realized that she didn't truly have a reason to be jealous of him when the two had only harmlessly flirted.

"Can we just not talk about it, ok? Don't want to talk about Damon or Harry. I don't want to talk about any of it. Just want to go back to normal. What are you doing with that candle?" Caroline asked in confusion and she finally spun around to see a sheepish looking Bonnie.

The dark skinned girl moved to place the white wax candle back on Caroline's bedside table.

"Um...nothing. What's this?" she asked, surprise in her voice as she moved to pick up whatever had caught her eye.

"Damon gave it to me. Or he was going to give it to me. All I know is, it's mine now," Caroline said, her voice incredibly soft and Bonnie sneered at the charm and jewel combination.

"It's ugly."

Caroline glared.

"Well, get your grubby hands off it."

She moved to hang it on one of the hooks on her coat hanger before turning away to smile at Bonnie, signifying that she was ready for the day.

Bonnie couldn't help but notice how ominous the glowing of the jewel was.

0o0

"The sexy suds car wash is tomorrow. The football team and the band have committed. Well, not all the band. Just the ones who could pull off the bikini. I want, in your face, sexy. I mean, it's a fund raiser, for god's sake," Caroline ranted off to the two girls flanking her and hanging onto her every word and Harry frowned, not able to begrudge her of her front.

"Unbelievable. It's like nothing happened," Elena said, quietly and Harry sighed, making both girls turn their attention to him and he tilted his head as he observed her happy and cheerful behavior.

"For her…nothing _did _happen. She's in denial. And we can't begrudge her of that. She's gone through a lot," Harry said and Bonnie turned a critical eye onto him with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought you didn't like Caroline. Now you're her new BFF?"

"No. I still don't like her. But, the fact is, she went through a traumatic event. Unfortunately, I know what that feels like. Let her be for a bit…I promise you that she's going to have the breakdown that you guys are looking for," Harry said, simply and he turned his attention to further down the corridor where Hermione and Jeremy stood.

Jeremy was leaning against the locker next to Hermione, looking rather sullen and Hermione looked quite triumphant as she spoke to him softly. Harry smiled.

No doubt lecturing him about the important of school.

The sixteen-year-old had pouted the entire car ride as Hermione had to actually strip him down and push him towards the shower. It had been a humiliating and humbling experience for Jeremy and the boy had barely had time to stop her from exposing his manly bits to the female population of the house. Jenna had laughed so hard that she had begun to actually _cry_.

"Hey."

Harry turned to see the tall and skulky looking Salvatore brother standing in the shadows, looking as brooding as ever.

"Hey. You know, I gotta go be somewhere right now," Bonnie said, awkwardly and Harry frowned but nodded in agreement.

"Yeah…we both…have to be somewhere right now. Good luck making up to your fuck ups, Stefan," Harry said, quietly and Bonnie giggled into the palm of her hand.

Stefan simply frowned. Harry sighed and he grabbed Stefan by the elbow and tip-toed. He growled when he realized that he was nowhere near Stefan's ear and even now, Stefan had to stoop to hear him. Harry sighed but leaned in anyway, ignoring Bonnie and Elena's curious stares.

"And by the way, Stefan…can I talk to later? Can I stop by your house or whatever?" Harry whispered.

"That's not the best idea…"

"I know. I know what Damon really did to Caroline," Harry breathed into the man's ear and Stefan stiffened before leaning back and giving him a stiff nod and Harry's lips curled into a beatific smile.

"Good."

Harry turned away and walked away with Bonnie. Elena knew from experience that Bonnie would be asking questions before he turned.

"What was that about?" Elena asked, a hand on her hip.

She was well aware that Harry was attractive and a flirt. He was also…irresistible. Even now, Elena couldn't help but wish he was straight and taller. There was just something about him that drew people to him. He was very charismatic.

"He was just…giving me advice on what to say to you. And he threatened me. He seems protective of his friends," Stefan said, partially lying as it was true that Harry _was _protective and had what seemed to be a bit of a hero complex.

Elena smiled, "He is."

"I'm so sorry I haven't called," Stefan blurted out.

Elena almost looked shocked before she gave a bland smile and shook her head, hoping to look convincing but failing.

"No worries. I'll live," she said, her voice sarcastic when she realized her smile wouldn't cut it.

"I was dealing with Damon," Stefan said as explanation and Elena's eyes hardened at the mention of the man who had screwed over her friend.

"And did you... deal with Damon?"

"Yes. Yeah."

"For four days?" Elena asked, disbelief coloring her voice.

"You have every right to be upset with me. But can I explain it all to you? Please," Stefan asked, sounding close to begging and now, Elena knew that she to throw the poor boy a bone.

"Sure. I'd love to hear your…explanation. When?" she asked, sighing.

She didn't seem to realize that Harry's forwardness and sarcasm was rubbing off on her.

"I gotta be home after school, but The Grill, on four o'clock?"

Elena sighed. "Ok."

"Thanks," Stefan murmured, looking relaxed for the first time during the entire conversation.

"Stefan, where is Damon? He has some serious apologizing to do."

Elena turned to see Caroline standing there, her eyes wide. She looked as impressionable as ever, as if she had never gone through such a horrible event. Elena couldn't comprehend how the girl wasn't even mildly affected. She only wanted an _apology_ for God's sake.

And she was _smiling _about it.

"He's not here. He gone, Caroline."

Caroline blinked, her smile slipping ever so slightly. If Elena hadn't known her for years, she wouldn't have been able to tell. But Elena _had _known her for years so it was actually quite obvious. A frown began to develop on her pretty face.

"When is he coming back?"

"He's not coming back. I'm sorry," Stefan said, not sounding the least bit sorry before he turned to walk away, leaving a stunned Caroline and increasingly upset Elena.

"This is a good thing, Caroline," Elena reassured Caroline and the girl turned to look at her, a slightly loss expression upon her face.

"I know that," she whispered.

She didn't.

0o0

Matt Donovan leaned forward across the pool table, a cue in his hand as he took a shot at the rack of balls. The white ball collided with the orderly balls, sending them into a frenzy and effectively breaking them. The boy sighed and shook his head as moved around the table to white ball. He caught sight of an orange and white striped ball, teetering on the edge of a pocket and he decided to take aim for there.

It was just as he shot that he heard a familiar sigh.

Matt cursed under his breath when he missed.

"Hey, Matt. Have you seen Stefan?" Elena asked as she walked towards him and Matt raised his hands, running a few fingers through his disorderly blonde hair.

He ran a hand down his cotton covered shoulder. The boy made a show of looking around before turning back to his ex-girlfriend and shaking his head. He could see her expression visibly fall.

"Nope."

"Oh…" Elena muttered under her breath and the annoyance was almost palpable.

Matt spotted his chance to get closer to Elena.

"But, if you want to kill some time, um, you can rack," Matt suggested and he almost groaned when he saw Elena's hesitant expression.

"Come on. We haven't played in forever. I'll let you break."

Her eyes brightened and he knew that he had her.

That is, until Stefan decided to show up.

0o0

Harry stood at the doorway of the Salvatore Boarding House, his fist poised over the heavy wooden doors. He shifted in his boots, debating whether to knock on the door or not. Harry couldn't say he was frightened as he wasn't but he also wasn't sure if it was safe to just walk into a house of vampires. The green-eyed Potter felt his wand in his boot and it gave him a flash of reassuring magic.

He relaxed only slightly. Hermione was not here with him, as he had lied and told her that he was going to be with Elena and Stefan. This was of course, not true as Stefan was going to be with him for the next however-long-it-took-to-explain. Hermione accepted his lie so easily that Harry had almost felt queasy but he had pushed it aside. He had to help with the increasing issue Damon was posing.

He had to protect Hermione.

She had always protected him but it was his turn now.

With that thought, Harry knocked on the door, hard. The banging echoed through the quiet forest surrounding he secluded house. It sounded like thunder was rolling, strangely enough and Harry couldn't help but smirk at the cliché of it all. He was about to walk into the 'manor' house of Count Salvatore.

The door creaked open and Harry was surprised to see a decidedly _human _person answering the door.

He looked relatively young, relatively being the keyword, with curly hair and ruddy skinned. Harry was surprised to see that he had some kind of resemblance to the Salvatore brothers. The man looked just as surprised to see Harry, as Harry was surprised to see him.

"Who are you?" he blurted out.

Harry frowned.

"Harry Noir. I'm here to see…"

The door pulled open wider to expose Stefan who had certainly not been there before. The man looked almost shocked that Stefan had suddenly appeared. He glanced at Harry but Harry was not perturbed.

"Harry, come in. Harry, this is Zach, my…uncle…nephew. Zach, this is Harry…he knows…" Stefan said, carefully and the man, Zach, gave a nervous laugh.

"Knows? Knows what?"

Harry stared at him as if he were stupid.

"I know that Damon and Stefan Salvatore are vampires," he deadpanned.

Zach's eyes widened and he grabbed Harry by the shoulder and dragged him into the house and Stefan slammed the door shut. Harry crossed his arms and glared at Zach, not happy with being manhandled. Zach glared at Stefan.

"How does he know? He _can't _know! Compel him!"

Stefan's eyes narrowed.

"Calm down, Zach. Besides, he can't be compelled," Stefan murmured and Zach's eyes widened as he moved from side-to-side, looking almost high.

"He has vervain in his blood?"

"Vervain? The stuff used to cure bites from mad dogs?" Harry asked in confusion and Zach blinked in confusion while Stefan's eyebrows knitted together in bewilderment.

"Huh?"

"I think we're having a big misunderstanding. Come to the parlor, Harry and sit down. I believe we have a lot to discuss. Come, Zach," Stefan said and he led Harry to the parlor, which was decked in dated and lavish furniture, and it looked rather nice.

Harry sat down, lounging back into a chair and he raised an eyebrow when he felt Zach's eyes on him. The older man flushed in embarrassment and saw down on the same couch as Stefan. He didn't stop uncouth staring, despite being caught.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"You're pretty," Zach blurted out and Harry gave a wolfish grin.

"Thank you."

Harry turned to Stefan as Zach stammered out an apology. Stefan glanced at Zach and rolled his eyes. He turned back to Harry and leaned forward, his fingers laced together and his chin perched on top of them. Harry didn't lean forward. He continued to lounge, completely relaxed in the vampire's home.

"What is it about you and the Salvatore men?" Stefan questioned and Harry's smirk curled into a downturned frown.

"I'm irresistible," he muttered.

Stefan nodded.

"So, how is it that you know that my brother and I are vampires?"

"Well, I knew there was something strange about you from the very first moment. You magically healed and I got a bad vibe from you. You were fast and strong and quite coordinated. You're a big guy. Those traits usually don't apply to your type. Well, strong does but the other two? Not so much," Harry said, unforgiving and Stefan nodded in understanding as he stared at Harry with narrowed eyes.

"The thing is…we're vampire hunters," Harry blurted out and Zach's eyes narrowed in disbelief and suspicion.

"Vampire hunters? Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer?"

"_Exactly _like Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Harry said, hesitant but confident enough for them to believe him and Stefan leaned back, looking more guarded now than ever.

"And why are you here in Mystic Falls?"

"The guy who killed my parents was a vampire. I destroyed him after him and his freaky coven decided to try to kill my friends and family. You see, in London, there's a whole _community _of vampire hunters. My school trained us and I guess I was considered the best of the best. Hermione does the research and I do the grunt work," Harry explained and Zach quirked a slight grin.

"Gilles."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah…well, I wanted a break from it all. And we came to this little town and we find _vampires_. We know that you're from the 1800s and that Katharine…Katharine did something. I'm not sure what, we didn't get that far…" Harry admitted, reluctantly and Stefan nodded in agreement and he crossed his arms, deciding whether to explain or not.

"Katharine turned us, yes. And we—"

"I know, I know. She cheated on you with your brother and vice versa. Damon told me."

"Why can't you be compelled?" Zach asked, curiously and Harry sighed, wondering what he was going to say now.

"It's a trait that that they look for when choosing future vampire hunters. It's in your genetic makeup. You _can't _be compelled. You have a natural resistance for it. That's how I resist Damon when he tries to…compel me. Where _is _Damon?" Harry asked, curiously and both Salvatores looked down at the floor below them.

Harry leaned over to look down at the polished wood.

There was a beat of silence.

"Not to say that this wood isn't _lovely _but _what _am I supposed to be looking at?" Harry deadpanned and Stefan looked up with his brooding, _tortured _eyes and he sighed, loudly.

"Damon's in the basement. With vervain in him," Zach supplied.

Harry frowned.

"Okay, what the _hell _does vervain do to a vampire?"

"You're a vampire hunter and you don't know?" Zach deadpanned.

Harry almost panicked. Almost being the keyword. He had to play this like a Slytherin and _not _like the Gryffindor he was deep inside…

"We were pretty cutthroat in Britain. You know…beat the crap out of them and stake 'em. None of us have ever used vervain. What does it exactly do?" Harry asked, the curiosity on his face only further lighting it up and Zach had to actually look away from him.

The man sighed.

He couldn't believe he had a weirdo man-crush on this _teenager_. He was straight but damn, being a vampire hunter must be _cool_!

"It immobilizes the vampire and makes them weaker," Stefan said, simplifying it all and Harry nodded.

"Ingested?"

"No. Just touching it burns them," Zach said and Harry nodded again as he absorbed all of the new information and he feared that he (meaning Hermione) would have to research more to keep up their image of being vampire hunters.

It sounded like a good idea in his head but now…

"Okay. Can I see him? I won't…stake him but can I just see him? He has a lot of explaining to do," Harry said, his fury sneaking out just a bit and alerting Zach to the fact that something was seriously wrong but Stefan simply nodded.

"Are you sure? We shouldn't underestimate Damon and you're…" Stefan said, leaving the sentence open ended but Harry simply nodded for he knew exactly what Stefan meant.

Damon had told him himself.

"I can take care of myself," Harry said, firmly and with that Stefan stood.

Zach scrambled to stand with him and he watched as Harry gracefully slid up from his seat. Stefan led the way towards the basement door and he opened it, slowly so that Damon didn't hear. Honestly, Zach didn't that would help _or _matter. Damon would hear them but he still wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

They walked down, slowly and Harry hid behind Zach as Zach moved forward first. His eyes widened when he saw that Damon was standing upright on his own, albeit breathing quite hard. It looked like it had taken him quite a bit of effort.

"I'm full of vervain. I've been putting it in my coffee for 16 years. My blood will only make you worse. Damon?" Zach murmured and Damon turned to look at him, looking quite groggy.

"So it was your vervain. Good for you. Good for you. Family only runs so deep," Damon rasped before he gave a chest-wracking cough and Harry couldn't help but wince.

"We're not family, Damon. Only in the most dysfunctional sense. In fact, I avoided having a living, breathing, loving family because of you."

Harry gave the man a sympathetic look. He knew what that was like. Because of Voldemort, he hadn't been able to have a full life with a _real _family. And now, he didn't even know what a real family was like. It was impossible to have one when he didn't even know if he was going to do it right.

"I don't guess I could talk you into bringing me a rabbit or something? I'd settle for Stefan's diet at this point."

Harry's lips curled into a cruel smirk.

"Liar."

The words fell from his lips and even he wasn't aware of the sultry quality that his voice had taken on. Zach's eyes widened as Harry slipped past him. Damon's eyes fell on him and his eyes widened in shock. Harry pressed himself against the bar, his green eyes lighting up exquisitely.

"Lo…lita. Lolita, why are you here?" he rasped and Zach gasped as he finally realized that this short man was _the _Lolita and the one that Damon had consistently lusted after for weeks on end.

"I see that I won't even have to worry about keeping my end of the deal. You won't be able to bite any of my friends and so I won't have to end you. They're doing that to you. How does it feel Damon? How does it feel that you're so _evil _that your own family is going to effectively kill you?" Harry taunted and Damon's lips curled into a weak sneer and he attempted to push himself off the wall and failing miserably.

He fell back against it.

"Lolita…why are you doing this to me?" he growled and Harry's eyes hardened.

"You don't even know my name, do you? 'Lolita', you call me. 'Thumbelina'. 'Midget'. You don't even know my _name_," Harry spat, angrily and internally, he wondered why he had decided to focus on that as opposed to anything else.

"Harry…"

Harry froze.

"Why is he here, Zach? Is he my meal?" Damon whispered and Harry turned ashen at the man's callous words and his hands clenched into small fists.

"I don't think that I'm the right state for this…I want to feed on him while he's under me…screaming my—"

Harry hissed at him, spitting and screaming angrily in Parseltongue to the surprise of both Stefan and Zach. To them, it sounded nonsensical but seemed full of absolute fury and Harry's hand shot through the prison.

Just as that happened, Damon shot forward with a burst of sudden strength and kneeled in front of Harry, grabbing his hand and pressing his face to his open faced palm, reverently. Harry stopped, immediately, looking surprised. Damon's lips pressed against the soft skin of his palm and Harry froze when he felt a wet tongue licked the pulse point on his wrist.

"So…beautiful…"

Stefan jerked him back just as Damon lunged forward to bite into the soft skin of his wrist and Zach glared at him. Harry stared, holding his wet hand to his chest, staring in absolute shock and unable to move. Zach turned the glare from Damon and onto Harry.

"You call yourself a vampire hunter? Didn't you say you couldn't be compelled?"

"Vampire…hunter?" Damon whispered but no one answered him and Stefan shook his head, confused.

"He's…not compelled."

Damon frowned and he looked at Harry who was still staring at him with wide green eyes. His eyes intensified as he stared at Harry though not dilating. He seemed to be relying on his natural charm, despite how decrepit it was with his suave voice reduced to whispers and rasps.

"Unlock it. Unlock the door, Harry…" he murmured and Harry's lower lip trembled with unknown emotion.

"Damon…you're sick."

And with that, the green-eyed boy turned and fled from the vampires' lair.

0o0

He watched as she sighed and sunk another ball into a pocket and she moved around the table, the cue in hand. She looked more than a little sad and Matt couldn't help but feel obligated to ask.

"How late is he?"

Elena looked up at him and flipped over her phone, checking the time. She closed it and slid it back into her pocket.

"Hitting the hour mark. Nothing's wrong thought. Which means I'm not talking boy problems with you," Elena said firmly and Matt shrugged, keeping it nonchalant and sighed loudly.

"Good. I mean, it's not like we were ever best friends or anything," he said, pointedly and Elena flushed, looking slightly embarrassed and she shook her head.

"Ok. Here it goes—what do you think of Stefan? Is he a good guy?"

Matt frowned in confusion and he tilted his head.

"Why? What's he done?" Matt questioned and Elena shook her head and gave another loud sigh, sounding older than her actual age.

"Not any one thing. He's just so secretive all the time. I think there's something that he doesn't want me to know, which makes me want to know all the more," Elena said, resignedly and Matt couldn't help but give her a playful leer.

"Like what? Like that he's a serial killer and he keeps a clown suit in his trunk?" Matt teased and Elena snorted in amusement before shaking her head,

"No, of course not. But what do we know about him, really?" Elena pointed out and Matt tilted his head, contemplating what to say about the man that he had come to see as his rival in all things.

"He's great at football," Matt acknowledged and Elena gave him a pointed look before rolling his eyes.

"A little bit of a loner. And as much as I hate saying it, he might be a nice guy," Matt admitted, reluctantly and Elena sighed, once more.

"So you think I'm just being paranoid?"

"I think you should talk to him," Matt said, firmly, as he wasn't going to say that she _shouldn't _be paranoid because even Matt acknowledged that all wasn't right with Mr. Stefan Salvatore.

"Talk to who?"

Elena and Matt looked up and Matt's eyes widened when he saw Stefan, standing there with Harry Noir, the new kid. Matt looked him up and down and knew that if Harry was a girl and _didn't _have a dick, he'd tap that. The kid was standing there, looking increasingly bored and he was tugging on the fishnet sleeves that he wore. Elena's eyes narrowed.

"I'm so sorry that I'm late."

"What happened?" Elena demanded her voice cold and Matt flinched at the tone.

"I got held up," Stefan answered vaguely and Matt knew that was the wrong thing to say because it was clear by Elena's expression and body language that she wanted answers.

"And you happened to run into Harry?"

Harry frowned.

"Um…I sense the hostility levels rising. My sister is here. She's in the corner, nursing a beer and reading a book," Harry said, sharply and Elena looked almost embarrassed and Matt didn't understand why.

"So…you just walked in together?" Elena murmured.

Harry's eye flashed in anger.

"Elena, I'm not out to steal your boyfriend. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm going to go after first piece of meat I see. I hope you understand that," Harry said, firmly and Matt could see that Elena was definitely embarrassed now and she shook her head.

"No, no. I didn't mean it like that."

Harry smirked.

"Yeah you did. But whatever. Honestly, I'm not interested in your boyfriend. He's far too uptight," Harry said and he didn't sound as angry as he did thirty seconds ago, which confused Matt to no end.

How could he just switch like that? It was confusing him. Everything that was going on was confusing him.

"Heh…I'm sorry, Harry," Elena apologized, sincerely and Harry nodded before looking at Stefan.

Matt could see the meaningful look in his eyes even if Elena couldn't. There was sharpness in the boy's green eyes and he seemed to be communicating with Stefan silently. Stefan nodded to him and Harry turned away, walking. Matt swallowed and decided that perhaps this conversation was meant to be private. Elena turned her full attention to her _late _boyfriend.

"Is everything ok?" she finally asked after a long, tense moment of silence.

Stefan immediately said, "There was this thing with my uncle."

Elena gave a bitter smile. Nowadays, he always had an excuse it seemed. She sighed, shaking her head.

"And you couldn't call and tell me that you were going to be an hour late?" Elena demanded and she couldn't help but feel angry.

She didn't ask for much. She wasn't one of those demanding girls who had to know where he was at ever second of the day. But, it was just plain _rude _to be an hour late without even thinking to call her. Elena couldn't help but feel insulted and just a little embarrassed by that. Despite Stefan's sincerity, she was _angry_.

"I'm really sorry. It was unavoidable," Stefan said, solemnly.

"What was unavoidable?" Elena asked and she knew she deserved an answer.

But, Stefan simply dropped her gaze and looked down at the ground. And then she knew. He had been doing something that he didn't want her to know about it. Her eyes narrowed and she gave another bitter smile.

"Ok…" she sighed and she turned, ready to walk away and not willing to deal with all the crap he was putting her through anymore.

"Oh, uh, Elena, please…" Stefan mumbled and he grabbed Elena by the arm, intent on keeping her there.

Elena spun around, her eyes fiery. And then she saw the brooding expression on her face and her temper calmed. He looked so miserable…

"No, Stefan, don't you get it? Every question gets a vague non-answer. What is so awful that you're afraid to tell me? You have to let me in, Stefan! If it's about your tragic past, okay. We can _talk _about it," Elena said, softly and it was true, she just wanted to _help _him.

"I know you. My God."

Both teenagers turned and looked at the bearded African-American man that stared at Stefan in honest disbelief. Neither noticed the Noir siblings watching in alarm either. Stefan frowned in confusion and he tilted his head.

"I'm sorry?" he questioned.

"I know you. How can it be?" the aged man asked, confusion in his voice as he looked Stefan over once again.

"I think you have the wrong person, sir."

Elena turned suspicious and confused eyes onto her boyfriend and she couldn't help but notice that he looked…nervous. He didn't look at her but Elena could see him trying not to.

"You haven't aged a day," the old man continued, as if he hadn't heard a single word that Stefan had said and Elena simply stared, unable to comprehend what this old man was telling her.

"I'm sorry. Excuse me," Stefan said and he began walking away, pulling Elena with him and he looked at her in earnest.

"Hey, can we—can I take you home and we can talk about it? Is that ok?" Stefan asked, anxiously and Elena shook her head, unable to believe that Stefan was trying to distract her from what had just happened.

"Wait, what was that?" she questioned.

Stefan suddenly looked trapped.

"I—I don't know. Uh, nothing."

Elena almost sneered. Even now, Stefan couldn't get his story right. And it was so obvious that he was lying to her. It was better when she didn't know whether he was lying to her or not. When he kept things from her…it was better. But now, he was a liar.

"Right, nothing. Ok, um... I gotta go, Stefan," she said with a sarcastic smile before turning storming out of the Grill.

Stefan turned and his eyes narrowed on the man.

He was still staring at him.

0o0

The handsome man walked in, straightening his tie as he saw the older blonde woman sitting at the bar. He nodded to her, a pleasant and charismatic smile upon his face. She looked up at him with a slight frown.

"Evening, Sheriff. Anything?" he asked, as if he were speaking about the weather.

He leaned forward into the bar stool next to the sheriff and she sighed, shaking her head with a tired look upon her face. Logan looked at her with pity. If anyone had a right to be exhausted, it was Sheriff Forbes.

"We went over the entire west side of the lake. All the caverns by the falls were clean, no signs of habitat," she said, apologetically and Logan nodded, as if it weren't a problem at all.

"Then they're staying in town."

"We canvassed all abandoned buildings and warehouses."

"There has to be a private residence," Logan said, shock clear in his voice and Sheriff Forbes nodded in agreement and he sighed.

"And that much harder to locate, if not impossible. These creatures are smart. They know how to go undetected," Sheriff Forbes said, the disgust in her voice quite clear and Logan nodded in understanding.

"Well, someone who only comes out at night should eventually become obvious," he reminded her and she nodded in agreement.

"What about the watch?"

"I'm working on it," Logan said, firmly and he looked towards the door, waiting for his ticket to go and get the watch.

"I knew the Gilberts. That watch is passed down to the men in the family. I'd start with Jeremy."

"Logan!"

The two spectators watched as the man, Logan, straightened as Jenna Sommers walked towards the bar, a hand on her hip. Logan put back on his charming façade and grinned at her.

"You have an hour. Make it count," she smirked.

Hermione's eyes narrowed and she turned to Harry whom looked equally shocked. The boy looked stricken and he swallowed, shaking his head. He looked over at Hermione who looked more upset than anything.

"They…how do they know?" Harry whispered and Hermione frowned, only half-hearing him as she was absorbed in her own personal issues.

"And what does Jeremy and his watch have to do with anything?"

Harry swallowed.

"Hermione…lets go home. There's something I have to tell you."

0o0

"You ok?"

Elena didn't roll over to look at her brother, simply staring at the ground. She sighed, wondering what to say. She growled under her breath.

"Is Hermione here?" she asked, despite the fact that she knew that Hermione wasn't here and the fact that she knew that the older woman was with Harry at that point in time.

She knew that there was smirk on Jeremy's face. She didn't even have to turn around. She could feel it and she heard the amused sound from the back of his throat.

"Don't answer a question with another question. Maybe," Jeremy said, teasingly and Elena snorted, glaring at the pillow in front of her as if it had personally wronged her instead of Stefan doing just that.

"No, she's not. She's at the Grill with Harry," Elena snapped and Jeremy snorted.

"If you knew, why'd you ask?"

"Don't know."

"What's wrong with you?" Jeremy asked, sighing heavily and he shook his head, worry on his face and he was glad that Elena didn't see it because he'd never hear the end of it if she ever did.

"I'm miserable," Elena confessed in her husky tone and she clutched her teddy bear closer to her chest and tried to wipe the tears that had not yet fallen from her eyes.

"Well, you should go get something to eat."

Elena rolled over and frowned at the more relaxed than normal look on his face. She stood, slowly, a frown on her face and pushed past her smirking brother. As she walked down the hallway and towards the stairs, she heard the faint sound of cookware against cookware. Her frown grew more pronounced.

Jenna wasn't supposed to be home…she had a date with Logan…

"Jenna?" Elena called out, uncertainly.

She descended down the stairs, calling out for her aunt again. When she didn't get an answer, she hurried her footsteps and entered the kitchen, stopping when she found her secretive boyfriend, rummaging through the fridge. Elena blinked.

"Stefan? What are you doing here?" she asked, quietly and Stefan graced her with a small smile and tilted his head as he surveyed her.

Stefan turned to cut the fresh mozzarella he had atop the island.

"Dinner. Jeremy told me that Chicken Parmesan is one of your favorites, and I happen to be a good cook. The Italian roots demand it. I can even make my own homemade mozzarella. Only tonight, it is unfortunately store bought. Sorry," he said, apologetically and as if they hadn't just had an altercation earlier that day.

Elena pursed her lips as she stared him. She resisted the urge to sigh.

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish."

Stefan smiled at her and asked, "You want to know me, right? Well, I figure if you're going to dump me, you should at least, um, know who you're dumping. So let's start with Katherine."

Elena could see how much the topic of this Katherine girl hurt him and he sighed, looking reluctant to question him.

"Stefan..."

Stefan interrupted her saying, "She was... the most beautiful girl that I had ever met. She had this perfect olive skin. And she had this laugh. It was ridiculous. I mean, her laugh made you laugh. And she was fun. She knew how to have a good time. But Katherine was also very impatient and entitled and selfish, and, um, impulsive. Enter Damon. He claims that he was with her first. I don't know. I do know that I did some things that...I'm not proud of. And my biggest regret... Is not being able to make it right before she died. I miss her, but... I'm no longer crippled by her loss."

And Elena couldn't help but smile.

0o0

"Hey, Hermione."

"Yes, Harry?"

"I went to the Salvatore Boarding House today."

"_WHY?_"

"Because I wanted to know what happened to Damon and I was curious. I wanted them to know that we knew."

"You're so…do you not think?"

"I do. I met Stefan and his…uncle-nephew, Zach. But I know they're still kind of Muggles. So, I didn't tell them that we were wizards."

"What _did _you tell Stefan and his uncle-nephew, Zach?"

"That we're vampire hunters."

Silence.

Hermione sighed, shaking her head at her brother. She smiled, softly as he gave her a sheepish look. She pressed a kiss to his forehead just as the house phone rang. He walked towards it but she shook her head and pressed him into the seat. Hermione walked towards the wall and she smiled.

"Harry, just eat dinner. I was expecting a phone call anyway."

She picked up the phone and she leaned against the bar.

"Hey, Jeremy."

She ignored her brother's cheesy grin. She ignored how he mouthed the words 'You love Jeremy' at her in favor of listening to the boy over the phone.

"_You were right. She's downstairs having dinner with him now._"

Hermione grinned. "A very romantic dinner. I **was **right. I tend to _always _be right. Get used to it."

She heard Jeremy snort in amusement and she looked over at her brother whom was cackling, silently. He didn't seem capable of eating the measly grilled cheese that she had prepared. Instead, he was snorting in his water.

"_I was in a romantic mood. Thanks for telling me._"

"It was very nice thing for you to do. So, are you going to the sexy suds car wash?" Hermione asked and Harry's giggles were escaping him now and she glared at him, annoyed at him being rather obnoxious.

She sighed and walked into the kitchen where his loud giggles were muted.

"_Why? Are __**you **__going to be there? If not, it'll be pretty boring with Elena and her friends. You're kind of it for me…now that I'm not getting high because you won't let me._"

She heard the amusement in her voice and she couldn't help but feel proud of him for stopping for her. She would have been even more proud if he had stopped for himself. But, really, she had to remind herself that he was taking baby steps. He was fragile. Just like how Harry had been. Fragile.

"Yeah, I'm going."

"_Then, I might come. I got to go now. Got to tell Jenna to be home late._"

"All right. I'll speak to you later."

"_Tomorrow_."

The phone clicked and Hermione couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips. She turned and hung up the phone, jumping when she caught sight of a grinning Harry Potter, Harry Noir to the public. She glared at him, ignoring the heat in her cheeks.

"You _li-ike _him," he sang and Hermione shook her head, viciously.

"Well, you like Damon."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"I was attracted to Damon. I didn't and still don't particularly like him. But, you think Jeremy's cute…" Harry muttered and Hermione shook her head even harder and she swallowed hard.

"No…" she said, softly.

Harry sang, "You think he's gorgeous. You want to kiss him. You want to hug him. You want to love him. You want to hug him. You want to _smooch _him!"

"Oh, shut up! You said hug twice."

0o0

She was in her room alone, on the phone with Tiki. The girl was beginning to annoy her with her ignorance. How could she _not _know what to wear to this stupid suds car wash? She could definitely rock a one-piece but that bikini…

_Caroline. Caroline._

"No, Tiki, do not do the one-piece, ok? I've seen it on you. Trust me. Yeah, but you're going for stripper pole vibe this year," Caroline said, reassuringly and she ignored the sickly whispers that were sounding around the room.

It was just her imagination after all.

_Caroline._

Caroline giggled at the joke Tiki had made. "Yeah, maybe we should wash the cars in slow motion. No."

_Caroline_…

Caroline crossed to her vanity and looked in the vanity. She almost screamed when she saw the reflection of a man that greatly resembled Damon standing by her window. She spun, eyes wide and her pulse racing a mile a minute.

No one was there.

Caroline stammered into the phone, "What? Oh, um, no, sorry. Um, so I'll just see you tomorrow. Two-piece. Ok, bye…"

Just as she hung up her cell phone, there was a loud caw. She jumped, dropping the cell phone. She stared in horror at the large black bird even as her cell phone almost bounced off her bed. She stood rushing towards the window and waving her hands, manically. When that didn't work, she grabbed her pillow and swung it at it.

"Shoo, shoo! Shoo! God!" she sneered.

It flapped away, quickly, leaving behind a strange fear. She sighed and turned, going to pick out her outfit for tomorrow.

0o0

Stefan stared at him with unforgiving eyes. Despite the sinking feeling in his stomach, he couldn't forgive Damon for what he had done. Nor could he let Damon out. Elena, Caroline, and most of all, Harry and his sister, would be in incredible danger. Though, Harry was a vampire hunter, he was still susceptible, it seemed, to Damon's natural charm.

"I bet you're feeling pretty good about yourself, aren't you?" Damon croaked and Stefan glared at him, annoyed that his brother was once more assuming.

He didn't know how terrible Stefan felt about this. He didn't know that Stefan wished _again _and _again _that he'd go back to normal. How they were before Katherine came and ruined them all…

And he wanted to tell him all of this. But he didn't.

Instead, he said, "Not particularly."

"You won. You got the bad guy. Now nothing could come between you and Elena. Except the truth. The lies will catch up to you, Stefan. As long as you keep lying to yourself about what you are. And Harry knows…him and his sister…" Damon continued to rasp and Stefan felt more than annoyed at this point and he shook his head.

"The beauty of you in there and me out here…is that I can walk away."

0o0

"Hey!" Harry crowed as he walked towards Stefan, Elena, Katherine, and Bonnie.

He was donning shorts that reached his knees and a black tank top and he couldn't help but smile when Elena gave him a big hug. He ignored the beating sun and tossed his fringe back so that it just covered the lightening-shaped scar over his forehead. He was glad that he had his aviator sunglasses in his pocket.

He would definitely need them later if that morning's weather report was to be taken into account. He looked over at Caroline and she looked vaguely annoyed that he was there in her little pink and floral bikini. He looked back over at Stefan and he couldn't help but smile, appreciatively.

"You're looking good, Stefan," he said, his tone one of innocence and Elena snickered as Stefan looked at him, awkwardly as if he didn't know what to do with himself.

Harry wasn't surprised. He was sure that Stefan had never had a pretty guy flirting with him.

"Er…I'm not into guy but if you're looking for one, Zach is available," Stefan smirked and Harry snorted just as Elena and Bonnie's eyes widened in horror and Bonnie leaned forward.

"I heard Zach was your _uncle_," Bonnie whispered, conspiratorially and Stefan nodded and then shrugged with a slight smile on his face.

"He is. But, he saw Harry and looked like an idiot for a bit."

"Yeah. He stammered a bit about how pretty I was before apologizing. Thanks, but no thanks. I just got out of a rather…bad relationship in London. I'll be fine on my own for a bit but thanks for the offer," Harry said, his lips curled into a smile and Stefan gave his own inside-joke smile that made Elena's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

It seemed that Stefan and Harry got along a lot better now and she wondered if it had anything to do with what had happened the night before during dinner. She had cut herself on a knife while doing dishes and Stefan had reacted strangely. She was sure that in the reflection of the window over the sink, she had seen Stefan's face change into something rather horrific. But, when she turned back around, he was normal again.

She wondered if Harry knew anything.

Before either she could ask, there was the purr of an engine and everyone turned, eyes wide. The expensive, black motorcycle raced into the car wash, a tall figure leaning forward over it as he rode straight towards the small group, donning a leather jacket and dark blue jeans. The cyclist rode through the crowd, causing people to scream and jump out of the way when he showed that he wasn't stopping any time soon. He spun the motorbike and landed right in front of Harry. He kicked the kickstand down and swung his leg over it. He slid his helmet off and held it underneath his arm.

Harry stared, wide-eyed at the unimpressed man. He was long with a pointed, pale face and platinum blonde hair atop his head. Wintery eyes glared at him with obvious displeasure and his arms were crossed over his chest. His chin was jutting out as he looked down his nose at the smaller man and woman. His lips were curled into a haughty sneer and he glared at both Hermione and Harry.

"Hey, Mudblood. Prat. How dare you fucking leave London without telling me."

Harry took a step back and he gave a nervous laugh. Hermione sneered at the man and Elena looked between them and she could _feel _the tension. Harry looked incredibly nervous and Hermione looked rather furious at the sight of him.

Could this be the bad relationship that Harry was talking about?

"Hey, snob. How was prison and how are you out?" she snapped, viciously, causing the people around to gasp at the sudden declaration.

The blond smirked and he lifted his left jean, exposing a glowing cuff on his ankle.

"I got on good behavior. I'm on parole and I've got friends in high places."

"You mean you have large bank accounts," Hermione spat.

"That too. Something that you don't have but Harry does. I can see why Weasel dumped you. He's got nothing and neither do you. No wonder Harry's your—"

Harry snarled at him, his green eyes sharp. "Shut up. Don't be a git, ferret."

The blond scowled as Harry moved forward to stand directly in front of the newcomer. Elena watched, intrigued as he held his hand forward, as if preparing to arm-wrestle with the young man. They grasped hands and they squeezed for just a moment before they pulled away and took a step away from each other.

"Harry…who's your friend?" Elena asked, softly and the blonde took a step forward, his nose high in the air as he moved forward and didn't offer a hand to shake.

He looked like he was smelling something rather nasty and Elena felt a sudden dislike for this haughty, snobby.

"Draco Malfoy. Pleasure."

:::

**A/N: **Enter Draco Malfoy whom now has a rather big part and has come in earlier than expected. He was just supposed to be a secondary character but, he's rather important now. He's going to be in a relationship with one of the Mystic Fall characters. I haven't decided whom with yet though so bare with me. Anyway, I'm really sorry that this took so long but I've got other stories. Then I saw everyone's reviews and I felt terrible so I worked to get this out as soon as possible.

Tell me how you like it.


	6. Part VI

**Title: **Nightfall

**Pairing: **HP/DS, EG/SS, others from canons

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Vampire Diaries nor do I own Harry Potter.

**Note: **This came to me after I was watching Vampire Diaries for the umpteenth time. While I was doing that, I was on deviantart and I came across a picture that intrigued me to the point that I just had to get _something _out.

Anyway, this starts at Season 1 Episode 3 because I need canon to be shot to hell as soon as possible. Well…sort of shot to hell.

And in this chapter, I've…changed canon a bit for Harry Potter, as well. I wasn't going to except for the whole EWE thing but I definitely am now. Anyway, we'll just be getting on with the story.

Sorry this took so long. I had finals and then my grades came back and I had to start my summer assignments and stuff. I was also getting fittings and shit for my father's wedding. Goodness, I've been dragged around looking at flowers and swatches for the past few weeks for my soon to be stepmother. I love her, but I needed to get back to my Fanfiction, which she didn't seem to understand (I don't really expect her to since she doesn't know). But, I'm back now.

Nightfall

By: Sistersgrimmlover

**Part VI:**

_And if I only could,_

_Make a deal with God,_

_And get him to swap our places,_

_Be running up that road,_

_Be running up that hill,_

_Be running up that building._

_If I only could, oh..._

_-Running Up That Hill, Placebo_

Elena watched, wide-eyed as the blond man turned away from her and directed a hungry gaze back upon Harry's face. It was a strange look and he didn't look as if he lusted after Harry. It was something else. She watched as his left arm flexed, slightly. Harry swallowed hard as he stared up at the blond.

"Why are you here?" Hermione spat and she pushed Harry behind her.

Draco bared his teeth at her and snarled, "I thought I told you to shut up, _Mudblood_."

Elena swallowed. She didn't know what that term meant but it sounded as if the blond was calling Hermione 'trash'.

"Okay, I think that's enough," Elena said, sternly before Harry could speak.

She almost took a step back when the three British teens turned to award her with sharp gazes. Elena was mostly unnerved by Draco's steely gaze. It was as if he were silently telling her to drop dead in a hole with his eyes. It was angering and almost frightened Elena. It _would _have frightened her if it hadn't made her unnaturally curious.

"Really, Harry? You were mates with trash at school and then you dirty yourself with trash here? What would your family think?" Draco taunted.

Elena's mouth fell open when the boy mentioned Harry's dead parents. Harry's hands clenched into tight fists and he pushed past Hermione and poked his finger into Draco's chest, hard. His eyes were a blaze of green fire and he looked angrier than Elena had ever seen him. He looked angrier than he had with Damon.

"You shut up, Draco Malfoy or I'll have you thrown right _back _into Azkaban and I'm sure the guards miss you something _terrible_," Harry threatened and the pale young man seemed to pale even more. Harry's eyes lit up with something vindictive and he looked back at Hermione whom seemed on edge.

"Harry…" she started.

Harry hushed her. "Why are you _here_, Draco?"

Draco's eyes narrowed.

"I'm running."

"From what?"

"Who the fuck do you think, Harry? Those crazy bastards that are looking for _you_."

Harry hummed. He looked over at Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, and Stefan whom stared back at him in confusion. He knew they would expect an explanation from him but they wouldn't get it. He had bigger fish to fry at the moment and he couldn't allow the Muggle, Seer, vampire, and Damon's blood bag to be hurt.

"And how did you find me?"

Draco gave a grim smile and pointed at his left forearm. Harry's eyes widened and he turned to look at Hermione. Hermione's face was frozen into a mask of grudging worry. Harry gave a long-suffering sigh and shook his head.

"Hermione, we're going home. You stay here. Here are my keys," Harry said, tossing his car keys to Hermione who caught them easily.

Elena caught Harry around the wrist.

"What? You're leaving? Already?"

"I've got something to take care of," Harry said, apologetically and he pulled away from Elena and Draco was already settling himself atop his motorcycle and he obviously expected Harry to get on behind him.

"What? What do you have to take care of?" Bonnie asked, suspiciously and Harry flashed a dangerous smile.

He slipped onto the back of the motorcycle and wrapped his arms around Draco's waist. Draco turned to look at the caramel colored girl with a smirk. Bonnie looked taken aback by the look that he had given her. He had been so incredibly rude to _Elena_ but to her…he seemed almost friendly. His smirk was the same smirk that he had given Harry. It was not the sneer he had regarded Elena with.

"Family business, sweetheart. Hold on, Harry."

The motorcycle speeded out of sight and there was silence among the group. The Mystic Falls residents turned to look at Hermione but she shook her head and sighed. When there was nothing to be said, Hermione simply walked away, not up to answering questions without making a proper cover story with Harry and Malfoy.

"What the hell was that?" Elena asked as soon as Hermione left.

"I have…no idea," Stefan said, sounding genuinely confused for once and Bonnie shook her head, just as confused as anyone else

As always, it was Caroline that bounced back first and she turned her gaze back onto Bonnie and Elena with narrowed eyes.

"Well, it's _his _business. What are you doing, standing there? There are cars to be washed and no one's _washing _them," she snapped and she flounced over to the moneybox.

If she saw Bonnie and Elena roll their eyes at her antics, she completely ignored them. It wasn't her fault that they didn't know how to handle an uncomfortable situation. They should really be thanking her after all. They were both socially awkward when it came to certain moments like that and Caroline sniffed. Bonnie had acted all cool and casual but she had been shocked when the blond had given her the time of day.

_Caroline. Caroline…help me. Caroline, help me! HELP ME!_

"Caroline? Caroline?"

Caroline looked up, blankly. She stared up at Elena, whom was peering down at her anxiously. It was clear that Elena was expecting her to answer but Caroline wasn't sure of what to say, exactly. She couldn't think. She could only move and for some reason, her body was telling her to go to the Salvatore Boarding House.

"Elena…mind the money box…I have somewhere to be," Caroline whispered, dazedly before tripping away, leaving a confused Elena behind her.

0o0

"_This _is where you live?"

"Oh shut up. At least I _have _a place to live," Harry snapped back and Draco sneered back at him as he kicked the stand for his bike and gracefully unfolded himself from the sleek, black monster.

"Well, fuck you. I still have a very nice cottage in Naples, thank you very much," Draco retorted as they walked up the steps of Harry's two-story house that was at the very edge of Mystic Falls.

Harry said nothing as he unlocked the door and escorted Draco inside. He pushed Draco straight to the sitting area. He didn't want to hear the pureblood rant about all of the Muggle products in the kitchen. Well, now that he thought about it, he doubted that Draco even wanted to be near the kitchen. He had been accustomed to house elves and he probably didn't even know how to make himself a sandwich.

Harry sighed and planted Draco upon one of the flawless white couches and he fell into the winged armchair and looked over at the silver-eyed young man. Draco looked almost uncomfortable now that they were sitting in silence. He didn't seem to be able to make up his mind on whether to make a snide comment or to exactly explain what the hell he was doing here. Harry sighed and knew that he would have to start the conversation.

"Draco, what the hell are you doing here?"

Draco snorted.

"Such warm reception."

Harry's eyes narrowed into a glare.

"Get over yourself. I want to know how you found me and why you're here. I came here to get away from the wizarding world and now, I find that it's _following _me," Harry snapped, angrily and Draco leaned forward with slightly narrowed eyes and he tilted his head.

"I had to run. Moody was arguing for me to be executed…like my father. He said that my crimes were horrifying…I mean…I know I got Death Eaters into Hogwarts and got Dumbledore killed, but you killed the Dark Lord, like, two days later. The Order was agreeing and my mother told me to run. She knocked out my parole officer and I went across the pond. And then my Dark Mark burned and I followed it to here. End of the story," Draco said, coldly and Harry could tell that that wasn't the end of it by a long shot, but it seemed that Draco didn't want to tell him something.

He wouldn't force him. Well he _could _force him, but if Draco was being such an arse about it, that meant he had a strong aversion to talk about it. So, Harry only sighed and wondered if he should tell Draco what he had just wandered into or let him figure it out by himself. The green-eyed boy snorted when he realized that he couldn't do that. Not when he would be living in his house and probably would have to deal with all the crazy supernatural shit that was going on and Harry sighed and leaned back into his chair.

"Draco…you've just walked into a whole other supernatural problem. We're in vampire territory."

Draco straightened and his eyes flashed.

"Can't you stay out of trouble _ever_?"

Harry snorted and gave an anxious smile. "Did I tell you that I kissed the bad vampire and then shoved him? And that I told the good vampire and his great-great-great-great-great nephew that Hermione and I were vampire hunters and that Hogwarts was a school to train vampire hunters?"

Draco stared at him in disbelief before letting out a long groan and he shook his head. Harry gave a nervous laugh and Draco's lips twitched at the sound. The man leaned back in his seat and shook his head.

"So, we're vampire hunters."

"Um…yeah. Did you know vervain subdues vampires?" Harry asked, anxiously and Draco rolled his eyes before nodding, slowly.

"Yes."

"So, it was only me that didn't know because Hermione said she knew too. Except, I'm not surprised. Hermione knows everything."

"The Mudblood does _not _know everything."

Harry's good humour was washed away instantly and gave a chilling glare.

"Don't call her that! If you're going to stay here, you're going to have to be nice to Hermione and my friends. They already think I'm weird and if you make that worst, forget the Order, I'll kill you myself."

Draco stared at him for a long moment, unperturbed by Harry's outburst. Harry wasn't surprised. He wasn't particularly close to Draco, but after the war, he had gotten to know him. Harry had wanted to know _why _he had taken the Dark Mark and why he had done what he had and so the Boy-Who-Lived had braved Azkaban for those answers. Over that time, he had gotten to know Draco and though he was a narcissistic prat sometimes, he wasn't _all _the time.

"Fine. Whatever. How do I get enrolled in your school?"

"You want to go to _Muggle _school? You don't know _anything _about being a Muggle and it's hard enough for Hermione to tutor me about this crap. She continued her Muggle studies over the summer holidays," Harry said, softly and Draco rolled his eyes before crossing his arms.

"What are the subjects?"

"History, Science, Literature, Maths. It's basically like History of Magic, Potions, and Arithmancy. However, it's all cumulative and I'm not sure if you'll be able to—"

Draco cleared his throat, effectively cutting off Harry's words and Harry looked at him, his green eyes wide in confusion.

"Potter, are you aware of the fact that I was second in our year at Hogwarts, because I was. I think I'll be able to keep up. Maybe you should worry about you keeping up."

Harry's eyes widened and then they narrowed into a glare.

"Oh you shut up, Malfoy! If you're so sure about keeping up with the Muggles, fine! Hermione will forge the paperwork," Harry snapped and Draco smirked at him, nodding accordingly as he laid back in the chair.

"Perfect. Now, who has been dressing you because you look _delicious_..." Draco purred and Harry snorted, his previous annoyance completely erased when he saw the leer on Draco's face.

"This is why everyone thinks you're gay, Draco. You go and act like that."

Draco smirked. "Metrosexual, actually, but whatever. Whom was the green-eyed girl with the magic? Was she a Squib or..."

Harry pursed his lips as he wondered what Draco wanted with Bonnie of all people. Bonnie was too strong for his type of shit. If Draco wanted her, he would have to change his entire attitude, because Bonnie could probably kick his arse right back over the pond.

"She's...different. She holds magic, but you're not allowed near her," Harry warned him and Draco's eyes narrowed.

"Why ever not?"

"First, you insulted a bunch of us, which she won't like. Second, we're already suspicious enough in some people's eyes. Why add more?" Harry reminded him and he stood, stretching his arms over his shoulder as he did so.

"What now, then?" Draco asked, quietly as Harry moved towards the bookcase in the corner and seem to be perusing for something of interest.

"I have to get back to that car wash," Harry said as he pulled down a large, dusty old tome and walked back towards Draco with a smirk on his face. "_You _have to study on how to be a vampire hunter. Have fun!"

He promptly dropped the book into Draco's lap and he laughed at the young man's outraged expression. Harry leaned forward and fished Draco's keys out of his pocket and sauntered out of the room, not even listening or acknowledging Draco's whinging and carrying on.

"But you can't drive a motorcycle!"

Harry smirked. "Not true! My godfather has one. I've been known to use it."

0o0

Hermione peeked out of the corner of her eye at the young man whom seemed to be looking right back at her. Hermione gave a slow smile and Jeremy, nervously, returned it. Hermione straightened over the car and she huffed, brushing back her long bushy locks and she leaned back, admiring the glimmering car. She nodded at Jeremy and waved it through before turning to Jeremy.

"Who was that blond guy on the motorcycle?" Jeremy asked, softly and Hermione blinked in surprise as he stared at her, obviously awaiting an answer and Hermione pursed her lips.

"I didn't know you were here then," she said as she walked to the side where her t-shirt lay, kept dry from the water and the suds of soap.

Jeremy shrugged as she pulled on her shirt and adjusted her shorts. He sighed, already sad that he had lost that beautiful view of his...friend. Hermione sat down on the bench, carefully crossing her legs as she waited for Jeremy's response. Jeremy sat down next to her and leaned forward.

"I got here a couple minutes before. I was trying to figure out a way scare you," Jeremy said, his lips quirking a dry smile and Hermione snorted in amusement.

"Jeremy...it takes a _lot _to scare me. Trust me. With all that I've been through, being scared isn't really on my list any longer," Hermione said and Jeremy smirked, assuming that she was talking about sneaking out and around her old boarding school.

"I see. Anyway...he seemed rather...mean to you. Was he, you know, an ex-boyfriend?"

Hermione stared up at him, wide-eyed before she broke out into loud, raucous laughter. Jeremy stared at her, confused by her wild laughter and he shook his head, unable to believe what he was seeing. Hermione was typically so reserved and yet, she was laughing rather loudly and drawing everyone's attention. Finally, Hermione seemed to calm down.

"Draco Malfoy? An ex-boyfriend? I'd rather die. Malfoy is an arsehole whom seems to have taken a liking to Harry. Harry's...his cousin. In London, he's highly regarded because of his family, as is Harry. In school, they were rivals, but towards the end...they became something resembling friends. We merely tolerate each other, if even that," Hermione spat and Jeremy nodded, sharply, shocked by the disdain in her voice, as he had never heard her sound quite like that except when speaking about his drug and alcohol habit.

"He thinks you're smart, though."

Both Jeremy and Hermione looked up to see Harry standing in front of them, a motorcycle helmet held between his arm and body and a dry smile on his face. His green eyes flashed and Hermione frowned at the look.

"Hi, Harry. Is he gone?" Hermione asked, her expression hopeful and Harry bit the inside of his cheek.

"Er...no. He's kind of...staying with...us," Harry said, slowly and Hermione's eyes widened in anger and she shook her head.

"No! He's a bigot!"

"You're not too receptive of new ideas either, Hermione. He was raised that way. Just...give him a chance," Harry pleaded and Hermione stared at him, intently.

Jeremy leaned back, watching the silent conversation that the two seemed to be having. It had once been like that for him and Elena though they definitely weren't close anymore.

Hermione let out a long sigh.

"I'll set it up. I just need a little—"

"Um...can I talk to you, Harry?"

Hermione, Harry, and Jeremy looked up sharply and Jeremy's eyes widened at the look upon his sister's face. Elena looked both uncomfortable and more than a little concerned about something that was probably _very _important. Harry frowned in confusion and he nodded, turning to look at his friend.

"Elena...what is it?" Harry murmured and Elena shook her head.

"I...well...it might not be _that _important, but you...well. Nevermind."

The young woman turned to walk away, looking deep in thought and Harry grabbed her wrist. Elena jerked to a stop and she looked over her shoulder at the shorter student. Harry gave her a frown and looked over his own shoulder at Hermione and Jeremy. Hermione waved him away and Harry nodded before going to drag Elena into a quiet corner, which wasn't _that _hard to find when the entirety of the interior of the school was practically deserted.

"Okay. What's wrong?" Harry asked as they entered an empty classroom.

Elena stared at him with a frown and she shook her head.

"There...there was an old man here earlier and he...he said that he had known someone that looked just like Stefan and he had his last name and this Stefan had a brother named Damon. Except, his 'uncle's' name was Joseph and this was years ago. He had the same ring...the same brother...the same face. And this all happened in 1953."

Harry stiffened at Elena's words and he shook his head before clearing his throat.

"Are you...are you sure?"

Elena frowned at him.

"Yes. And then, I tried to ask Stefan about the rest of the Salvatores and he told some really vague answers. Do you...do you think Bonnie was right about him?" Elena asked, softly and Harry could hear the unasked question in her voice.

_Do you think you were right about him?_

Harry bit his lip.

"I think...I think that it could be a lot of things. I think that you need to talk to Stefan about this and _not _me."

Elena frowned.

"You don't think I tried that! This is why I'm coming to _you_. Harry...Stefan...something's wrong. I'm not sure what, but I think it's _really _important. I think it's time that we figure it out," Elena said, sharply and Harry sighed, knowing that Elena was right.

He had been a fool if he thought he could keep Elena in the dark for long, but he also knew it wasn't his place to reveal what he knew. That didn't mean he couldn't give Elena some clues. If she went off on her own, she'd probably do something stupid, and he wasn't going to risk her. Especially when Draco Malfoy was in town and had already shown some intense dislike for her, for unknown reasons.

"Okay, Elena. I think there _is _something wrong. Just...put it out of your head now and we'll talk about it after all this," Harry said, sounding rather long-winded and Elena shot him a suspicious look.

"You talk like you know what's going on."

Harry bit his lip. "I don't really want to lie to you, but I swore that I wouldn't tell."

Elena's eyes widened.

"You _know_?"

"Not all...but, some. Look..."

Elena held up a hand, a look of fury upon her face. She glared, furiously at Harry as she made her way towards the door and Harry darted in front of it, pressing his back against the door so that she wouldn't be able to make her mistake. Elena glared down at him with malice in her eyes.

"Move, Harry."

"No."

Elena snorted. "I probably sounded like an idiot! Talking to you when you know perfectly well what's going on..."

Harry growled.

"Look! It's not my secret to tell and I wasn't going to outright tell you. I figured it out and I'm going to help you do the same. So, stop acting irrational and relax," Harry snapped back and Elena seemed so surprised by Harry's sudden hostility that she stopped trying to push her way past him.

They stood in silence for a few moments. Dark brown eyes searched Harry's pale face for any lies or misgivings, and Elena relaxed considerably when she couldn't find any. She let out a long sigh and Harry gave her a slow smile.

"Okay, fine," Elena muttered and Harry leaned up to press a kiss to her cheek.

"Good. Now, lets go back and pretend that nothing happened."

Elena nodded as Harry moved from in front of the door. Just as Elena prepared to open the door, she hesitated. Harry looked at her, inquisitively.

"How...how did you figure it out?"

Harry's lips curled a slight smirk.

"Well, what an _interesting _question. Seems like you've got a few secrets to figure out. But, I'll give you a hint, Elena, because I like you so much."

Elena's eyes lit up.

"What?"

"It's my _job _to figure it out."

0o0

_Caroline_, the voice rasped.

She turned sharply and stared with a frown at the direction that voice seemed to be floating from her. Her hand found the doorknob of the nondescript entrance. The door to the cellar creaked open and the blonde teenage girl looked down into the dark hole with an odd, dreamy look upon her face. She moved down the wooden steps, as if in a trance.

"Damon?" she called out, inquisitively.

She knew that it had been his voice. It had been him and she wondered, blankly, what he was doing in such a dark, dank place as this.

There wasn't any response to her call.

She moved faster through the very dimly lit area and she called out again, "Damon?"

Caroline thought that she had heard something move. She turned and walked faster before turning a corner. She stared, wide-eyed as she came across what looked like a prison cell. She was well aware of what one of those looked like. Her mom _was _the Sheriff and when she was younger, she had gone to the station after school.

A little gasp escaped the blonde's mouth when she saw Damon inside of the cell, slumped against the brick wall. His skin was unnaturally pale and sweat dripped down his forehead. His hair hung in clumps and he was breathing, oddly, as if something was pressing against his chest. The man looked like he hadn't bathed in days, as if he had been _trapped _here for days and she shook her head in horror.

"Oh my God...what is this?" Caroline whispered before something occurred to her. "How did I know you were here?"

Caroline watched as the elder Salvator brother struggled to get to his feet.

"Because I wanted you to...very...very...badly," Damon grunted as he pulled himself into a standing position, using the walls to help support him.

He stumbled his way to the bars of his cage and he clung to them as he looked into Caroline's eyes.

"Please...let me out..."

Even from where she was standing, she felt a thrill of fear. There was something very animalistic in Damon's eyes. It was the same look that had been in Damon's eyes before and Caroline suddenly remembered what had occurred nights before. She shook herself and stared at him, an accusing and abused look in her eyes.

"You bit me..." she murmured, softly.

Damon let out a long shuddering breath.

"You liked it."

Caroline swallowed hard, unsure if this was true or not. Yet, she did no certain things _were _true.

"You used me to get to Harry...you're always looking at him. You never look at me the way you look at him," Caroline continued on and Damon shook his head, angrily and there was a dark, feral look about him now, as if he were hungry just at the thought of little Harry Potter, his little _Lolita._

"That's not what we were talking about...we're talking about you and...me, Caroline...you liked it..."

Caroline bit her lip. "I don't...I don't know. I'm remembering the same things in different ways and the only thing I know for sure is that Harry matters more to you than me."

Damon was silent for a long moment and Caroline waited for him to speak back to her. She waited for him to come up with some kind explanation. She didn't understand. She couldn't understand and she hated it beyond belief.

"You remember what I want you to remember. You _know _what I _want _you to know," Damon said, sharply. "And now that the vervain has passed out of your system...you won't remember what you're about to do."

Caroline frowned at him in confusion. She pushed back a single strand of blonde hair and peered at him through the bars with narrowed eyes.

"And what am I about to do?" she asked with apprehension in her voice.

"You're gonna open the door," Damon said, firmly. "You're gonna open the door."

Caroline felt her hand drifting towards the bolt on the door, though she wasn't sure why. She slowly pulled it open even as she heard footsteps behind her.

"No! NO!"

Just the bolt clang open just as someone pushed into Caroline and held the door closed. Caroline stared in horror as Damon's face changed into something horrifying with dark veins under hungry eyes. The man was struggling to keep the door closed even as Damon pulled at it from the inside.

"Run! RUN!" the man shouted and Caroline spun around and ran as fast as she could.

Just as she got up the first flight of stairs, she heard the door fly open and a sickening crack that she couldn't think about just then. It only made her run faster. She realized now that there was a very good reason that Damon had been locked up and she had probably released something very horrifying upon Mystic Falls. She turned to see Damon just behind her and she watched him stumble up the stairs.

He grabbed her ankle and she let out a soft grunt before she kicked backwards, hopefully catching him in the face. She looked behind her as she ran and she saw him crawling up the stairs, weakly. Caroline knew then that he was not only a monster, but he was also very sick. The young blonde ran faster.

She was almost there...almost at the door and she threw it open just as Damon finally caught up.

She heard an agonized shout, but she ignored it in favour of running away.

She had to get away...had to get away...had to...get away...had...to...get..._away_

0o0

Bonnie relaxed against the black car with a satisfied look on her face. They had definitely made ton of money from this car wash, no matter how much the idea had made Bonnie cringe at first. But, she was definitely tired now and _definitely _needed a rest. A lot had happened, from Harry's relative's appearance to Elena walking around looking rather freaked about everything. The coffee-skinned girl hummed and her eyes slid closed.

She would rest...just for a minute...

"Sweeper duty."

Bonnie's eyes flashed open and she stared at Tiki in annoyance and confusion. The skinny, tall girl held a broom in her hand and was clearly in the mind to hand it to Bonnie. Bonnie frowned.

"What?" she asked.

Tiki rolled her eyes. "We have to clean the pavement."

She said it as if it was so damn _obvious_. Bonnie stared at her in disgust and anger. Tiki was clearly here to piss her off, which didn't surprise Bonnie. The girl had always rubbed her the wrong way and she now had proof that it was a mutual feeling. Not that she cared in the least.

"It's a car wash. By definition, the pavement's clean," Bonnie said, flatly and Tiki shrugged.

"But not dry."

Bonnie pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow as she stared at high and might girl. She was so skinny, Bonnie was pretty sure that she could snap if the breeze got too strong. Not attractive when you could count her ribs.

"And I'm doing this _why_?" she asked, sourly.

"Caroline bailed, so that leaves me in charge," Tiki said as she handed the broom to Bonnie and she the young woman glared after Tiki even as she sauntered away, her hair bouncing with every step that she took.

Bonnie glared and turned to look at the wet pavement, knowing that Tiki was correct, though she didn't want to admit it. There were pools of water upon the ground and there was more to come, Bonnie was sure. It would take her forever to do this, not that Tiki cared at all. That was probably why she had given _her _the job out of all the other cheerleaders that were working the car wash.

Bonnie let out a loud sigh and she felt her anger drain away. It was quickly replaced be resignation and she glared down at the streams of water.

Bonnie's eyes widened when she saw the water begin to steam and the suddenly it erupted into bright, beautiful flames. The flickering red and orange inferno spread down the steady stream and Bonnie let out a slight gasp when she realized exactly where the particular stream of water led, though she couldn't bring herself to feel sorry when she saw Tiki's car enflamed.

Bonnie didn't notice when Hermione ran over to her.

She didn't notice when everyone began to scream.

And she definitely didn't notice the conflicted look on Hermione's face.

"_Aguamenti_."

Bonnie jolted at the quietly spoken word and she looked over at Hermione just as water spurted from a long stick that Hermione held in her hand. Yet, as soon as Bonnie broke out of what had to be a trance, the flames died away. Hermione bit her lip and she shook her head, looking rather frightened and cross with herself.

"Hermione...what did you just do? What did I just do?" Bonnie whispered, brokenly and Hermione glanced behind her and sighed in relief when she realized that no one had seen what had just occurred.

"It was a trance then...accidental magic. Harry was wrong...you're not just a Seer. You're something...different...not a witch but _definitely _not a Seer," Hermione murmured and Bonnie stared at her in horror and confusion, shaking her head.

"Wait...what...huh. Did I do this? Did you...did you stop it?" Bonnie whispered and Hermione bit her lower lip before she grabbed Bonnie's hand in hers and began to pull her away from the scene that was happening in front of Tiki's car.

"I don't know what just happened, but I think a lot needs to be explained. Come on, Bonnie," Hermione murmured and Bonnie nodded, helplessly.

She didn't know what was happening, but Hermione looked like she did. She'd go with Hermione for now. She'd go.

"Where are we going?" Bonnie asked, softly.

"My house," Hermione whispered as she pulled Bonnie towards the woods that surrounded the school parking lot and just as the two passed the barriers of the forest, Hermione stopped, a frown on her face.

Bonnie had already seen her wand. She had already seen her perform magic and it wasn't like Bonnie was a Muggle anyway. She wasn't a proper Muggle, that is. It would be faster to go by magical means and she hoped to Merlin that Bonnie wouldn't have a panic attack after what she was about to do.

Hermione's eyes hardened and she wrapped her arms around Bonnie in a semblance of a hung before she Disapparted with a loud, alarming crack.

0o0

Jeremy looked around for Hermione and frowned when he couldn't find her. He had seen her walk into the forest with Bonnie in her arms, but the two had never returned after their quick trip into the forest. Jeremy had only thought that Hermione had taken Bonnie away to calm her down. The dark girl had been right in front of the fire when it had happened and for a minute, she had looked completely in love with the fire.

Jeremy stumbled through the forest for what felt like hours. He couldn't risk that Hermione had gotten lost or something worse. He remembered what had happened at the football game perfectly well. He may have been a little drunk and perhaps high, but he remembered what had happened. He remembered people talking about it for days afterwards and he felt bile rise in his throat as he thought of Hermione in Tanner's place.

No.

He would find her.

The younger Gilbert wasn't sure how long he had been walking, but he did know when he hit the part of the cemetery where had once gotten high. He stared at the group with a frown upon his face and they all stared at him with a range of expressions. Most were still giggling, but one, one girl that looked so very familiar it hurt, stared at him with a blank expression upon her face.

"Look who found us here!" one girl with the giggles shouted and the other guys began to laugh, as if she had said the funniest thing.

Only Vicki didn't laugh.

"Vicki," Jeremy murmured and he was hit by the emotions that he still held her, the feelings of affection that had come from the fact that she had taken his virginity.

Vicki nodded at him.

"Sup, Jer?" Vicki asked and Jeremy knew that she was totally stoned.

"Doing good."

Vicki pursed her lips. "I called you last night. Wanted to know if you wanted to hang with me today."

Jeremy blinked. He had been talking to Hermione for the most of the night and had ignored all other calls. It had actually died in the middle of their conversation.

"Sorry. It was off."

Such an empty lie that Vicki clearly couldn't bother.

"Sure," she said with a smirk.

Jeremy frowned. "Vick, what are you doing?"

Vicki stared at him in bemusement as she sat up from where she laid on the ground and slowly stood. She looked dizzy for a moment before she walked towards Jeremy, gesturing for him to follow her away from his friends. Jeremy followed after her and they stopped a little ways away from the group.

"What do you mean by that?" Vicki finally asked.

Jeremy pursed his lips. "What are you doing, partying in a cemetery, with a bunch of losers?"

Vicki looked properly insulted by Jeremy's words and her eyes narrowed dangerously. Jeremy was more distracted by the leaves and branches she had in her brown hair.

"Those are my friends," Vicki spat.

"They're waste-of-space small-town lifers," Jeremy corrected and Vicki snarled at him, angrily and she shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So, then, it's over, isn't it? You're over it, because of that stupid girl."

Jeremy frowned in confusion at her.

"What do you mean by 'over it'?"

Vicki looked at him as if he were the stupidest person that she had ever seen in her entire life. She let out a loud huff.

"You always used to talk about me like I was different. Like I was different from those 'waste-of-space small-town lifers'. You're wrong though. _You _were different," Vicki spat and Jeremy shook his head, frantically, knowing that he had insulted her greatly.

"No, you _are _different, Vick—"

"Don't call me that," Vicki snarled. "You're different. You're the kid with the big house who's acting out because his parents died. And it seems you've gotten over it. Because that girl came, Hermione, and all of sudden you're too good for this...for me...for _us_. And guess what. When you finally have sex with your prudish little Brit and you get her pregnant, you're going to tell your kids about the dark period in your life that their 'mum' got you out of. And I'm going to still be here, waiting tables at the Grill, watching your girlfriend read her high-society books about Tolstoy and shit while nursing a beer, and partying with waste-of-space small-town lifers."

Vicki's rant sent Jeremy into silence and he stared at her. Even as he stared at her, he could feel the feelings that he had held her going away. The way she looked at him...the way that she talked about Hermione...it was clear to Jeremy that Vicki had once cared for him. But then, he had essentially abandoned her for Hermione. Jeremy felt sick to his stomach and now it had nothing to do with finding Hermione dead and drained of blood like what had happened to Tanner.

Now, it had to do with the guilt that he felt at having abandoned this girl whom he had once fancied himself in love with.

"I'm sorry," Jeremy muttered before he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the bitter girl to stare after him.

0o0

Draco hummed as he thumbed through the thick tome that clearly had belonged to the Potter family for quite some time. The pages were delicate and the book was very old. He had no doubt about that. The language itself had been Draco's first clue, if he had ignored the weathered leather of the cover, of course. The Malfoy wondered why there had been books about vampires in the Potter Library in the first place, but he put it out of his mind for now.

The blond flinched when he heard the loud crack of Apparation and his wand was in hand in seconds. He didn't consider that _they _might be tracking his magic use as he moved towards the kitchen, where the sound had emerged from. Draco peeked inside and he relaxed when he saw it was only Granger yet...there was someone in her arms.

It was that girl. The dark-skinned girl that had the odd magical signature.

"What the...Granger, what's going on?" Draco barked and Granger straightened and she glared at him before she sighed and looked over at the girl.

"This is...this is Bonnie. Bonnie...is a type of witch. She set a car on fire with her mind."

Both Draco and Bonnie frowned as they stared at Granger. Granger stepped away from Bonnie and she looked uncertainly at Draco. There was an odd sort of pleading look in her eyes and Draco understood what she wanted. She wanted help with this delicate situation and he didn't fancy an untrained witch using accidental magic because she got angry or confused.

"A type of witch? There are...different types?" Bonnie whispered.

Granger nodded and she seemed to be struggling with her words. Well, wasn't that a huge surprise. Granger almost always had something to say, whether you wanted to hear it or not. So, of course, that meant the task of explaining fell to Draco.

"Of course there are different types, if you're here, anyway. I'm Draco Malfoy. I'm a wizard and according to Granger, you're some type of shaman."

Bonnie stared at Draco as if he had grown an extra head and her eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Um...what?"

Granger blinked. "What she said."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"So, Granger _doesn't _know everything. You truly are ignorant in our ways. Come into the living room. I'll explain."

0o0

Harry stared at Elena and she stared back at him, just as silent as he. They were locked in a stalemate now, though Harry knew he should really speak first. He _had _promised to help Elena figure it out, even though he couldn't tell her. Well, he _wouldn't _tell her. He'd sort of promised and Harry was _not _in the business of making promises and then breaking them. It'd been the reason why he had left..._him_. _He _had broken promise after promise and Harry had finally had enough...

"What do you know?" Elena finally asked and Harry leaned back against Elena's headboard with a mischievous look in his emerald green eyes.

"What do _you _know?"

Elena huffed at Harry and Harry grinned. He was well aware of the fact that Elena hated when people answered questions with a question of their own. It was a pet peeve of hers even though she tended to do it to other people anyway.

"I don't know anything. That's why I'm asking you."

Harry sighed and shook his head.

"Come not, Elena...don't tell me that you're ignorant to all that's happened since Stefan's come. Even I know that certain...occurrences didn't start until the Salvatores came to town," Harry said, pointedly and Elena stiffened as she thought over all that occurred over the past weeks and she ran a hand through her long dark hair.

She ignored the grin upon Harry's face and frowned as she thought over all that didn't add up in her mind.

And then suddenly...

"It's not _possible_," Elena whispered.

Yet...

The old man..._1953._

"He never gets hurt..." she continued even as Harry's lips curled into a slow smile.

Elena clearly remembered that bottle...slicing through his hand, yet magically healing over not seconds later...

_Oh, my god, your hand...is it deep?_

And yet...a bloodied hand with a smooth expanse of skin underneath the red liquid.

"Someone...I've seen his face change...at dinner."

Horrifying...black veins...dark eyes...

_Hey, um, are you okay? Your eyes...your face._

"Girls bitten. Caroline was bitten...Vicki was bitten."

Harry simply grinned at her and nodded.

"You're getting closer, Elena. Come on...just there...the final thing that doesn't add up. What is it, Elena?" Harry whispered and Elena looked up from her bed and flinched, violently.

He was staring at her with bright green eyes that were lit with excitement. They were practically luminescent and there was something there. For some reason, Harry really wanted her to know the truth and somehow, he couldn't tell her. Yet, Elena didn't want it. She didn't want to acknowledge what was in front of her. She didn't want to acknowledge what her boyfriend _really _was.

"Bodies drained of blood," she said, flatly.

Harry smirked.

"There you go."

Elena didn't voice her revelation aloud just yet. She stared at Harry with a frown and tilted her head.

"How do you know, then?"

Harry smiled.

"It's my job, sweetheart. Just think of me as Buffy."

0o0

It had been so easy.

Taking the Gilbert Watch from Jeremy's room, that was.

Jeremy wasn't there, probably getting stoned, or maybe hanging out with that British girl, if the stories were true. He hoped so. He was a good kid and he didn't need to be hanging out with that crowd anyway.

Jenna trusted far too easily, though he knew she honestly thought he had changed. And he had, really. But, he wasn't dating Jenna because he suddenly cared for her again. He needed that watch. That watch would help them solve his problem. The Council's problem, because he was urgent that they do. They couldn't have it getting out of hand. Not again.

Not anymore.

Logan Fell wouldn't allow any harm to fall upon Mystic Falls.

0o0

She hated the stupid 'not it' game. She would've been fine without music. As she turned back on the music, she felt something hit the back of the pick-up truck. She watched him stumble as she made her way back towards the campsite of sorts. Vicki Donovan honestly felt some concern for the stumbling, sick-looking man. He was coughing and he was groaning in obvious pain. Vicki stared at him, still half-way in the car, and she frowned in confusion and worry. She straightened and looked around for someone. She had barely heard him come.

"Hey man, you okay?" she asked, uncertainly.

There was silence except for the man's heavy breathing and then suddenly...

"Come here," he rasped. "Come here."

Against her better judgment, Vicki took a step forward, her concern for the unknown man growing. She frowned and pressed a lock of brown hair out of her face.

"You don't...look good..." she continued and the man weakly beckoned her closer.

"Come closer...I have something...I have to...tell you..."

Vicki quickly made her way forward as the man tried to straighten and he ended up stumbling into her. Vicki grabbed onto him, her knees almost buckling under his heavy weight, but she was able to get a hold on him before they both fell to the ground and in a heap of tangled limbs.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I got you. I got you. It's okay, it's okay," Vicki murmured, hoping that she sounded reassuring, but she knew that she ultimately failed at sounding like that.

And then his hand wrapped over her mouth and he pushed her head to the side and then there was only pain as teeth sank into her skin. She tried to scream as she experienced what had occurred to her only a few weeks before and she knew that this was a different time, but she couldn't help but relive those hellish moments at the same time that she lived this and it was mind-numbing.

Eventually, she found it futile to scream.

0o0

Stefan's face fell into hands as he thought upon his brother and the horrifying act that he had committed. Zach...his Zach was dead and the only family that he had left was his evil brother. His brother that had fallen so far. His brother...was no longer his family. He no longer had a brother, and that meant he was no longer Stefan's responsibility to change for the better.

He was responsibility to kill.

Stefan stood and raced towards the locked box that he had downstairs in the cellar and he practically ripped the top off as he removed the wrapped weapon. He stared, reverently at the intricately carved stake in hand and he nodded in approval. He turned and stormed up towards the doorway, ready to deal out whatever retribution was needed and he threw open the door, his eyes dark with rage.

And then he stopped.

For there stood Elena, his sweet, beautiful Elena, and the unearthly Harry, the Vampire Slayer.

"Elena? Harry? What are you doing here?" he asked, uncertainly.

Elena looked at Harry. The boy nodded at her with a slow smile before she turned back to Stefan looking quite determined. She crossed her arms, defensively.

"What are you?"

:::

**A/N: **JESUS! I finished this whole chapter today and I'm exhausted. It's been a long time since I've updated and some of my reasons are above in the first note. School has also started so I've been distracted. Anyway, I hope you like this very unbeat'd chapter. I'm giving it to you unedited and horrifying because I promised someone that I'd update tonight. Happy October!

**REVIEW PLEASE!**


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